


Bond

by TerryAxel



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, F/M, First time plz be gentle, Gen, This is gunna get wild fam, but if y'all want it I got it, excuse the mistakes, i can't bring myself to write smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-02-03 05:59:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 58,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12742395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerryAxel/pseuds/TerryAxel
Summary: After spending a few years as vagabonds, you and your daughter come across a rundown summer camp. It's not the safest of places, but you decide that for once it'd be okay to take a break. Under your careful watch as a camp counselor, you let your daughter have one summer of fun and sun. Along the way, you meet some unique individuals, make connections you'd never felt before, and reminisce on your past mistakes. Little did you know, the people here were going to be the ones who changed your life and turned it on its head.Welcome to Camp Campbell, friend.





	1. Calm Before the Storm

"Nikki, get down from there." You called out, hands clasping your hips out of slight annoyance with the hyper child. She had scaled up one of the taller trees chasing a squirrel, growling and barking like a rabid dog. "Nikki?" 

Now, either she couldn't hear you or flat out ignored you because she whooped and eyed the poor animal like dinner. Neither scenario surprised you, so you shook your head and followed under her as she crawled across a thick tree branch. Thankfully, Neil informed you of the common mishap rather quickly. He and Max stood a little ways off to avoid the collateral damage that would inevitably come from Nikki's rough nature. 

The squirrel glanced at the approaching girl and easily fled to the neighboring tree with a well rehearsed leap. You sighed and held out your arms, ready for the tyke to attempt a chase. 

"RRRRAAAAHH!" She let out a mighty roar as she jumped after the squirrel which had already begun to climb up the trunk to safer heights. 

For a moment, you thought she might actually make the jump, but that belief vanished once the child plummeted midway. She flailed as she fell, not out of fear, but out of frustration her prey had escaped. She clawed at the air seemingly unaware she would hit the ground and break more than a few bones if you weren't there to catch her. 

Your knees bent a little as Nikki landed safely in your arms. You both grunted from the brunt of the collision, but the turquoise haired girl hissed under her breath, "You got lucky this time. Next time, you won't escape........" 

Instead of asking what she was doing, you set her down and said, "Next time you wanna hunt squirrels, tell one of us." Nikki shot you a look that mirrored the inquisitive faces Max and Neil wore. You pulled some twigs out of her hair and snorted, "You know what I mean, so don't give me that look." 

David wouldn't let the campers do anything dangerous and Gwen couldn't care less about what the campers did. The drastic difference in their attitudes was dizzying sometimes, but you learned how to handle it.

With each of your two co-workers settled at opposite ends of the spectrum, you served as the middleman the campers couldn't help but gravitate to. Anything they wanted to do they knew wouldn't be allowed by the other two counselors, they came to you for. 

Most of the time, you allowed them to do what they wanted as long as they stayed within your watchful eye. It wasn't that you didn't care. You just wanted them to learn their lessons how they made them. 

For example, Nurf thought it would be a wonderful idea to challenge you to a fight after you snapped at him for messing with a certain someone's hat. The campers knew to approach you with a single goal in mind: get what they want at that moment. The proposition was to test your boundaries and snatch a free pizza party. You promised yourself you'd never forget the utter confusion on the campers face when you shrugged and accepted the challenge. 

"I fight kids." You offered after you knocked Nurf unconscious with a single wallop that surely rattled some of his teeth loose. "If you know what's good for you, you won't antagonize her. Don't forget that." 

Of course, they didn't tell on you. No, you gained the respect of the campers somehow. It was backwards ass logic, but you didn't question it. If it meant making work easier, then you took what you could get. 

While the troublesome trio walked beside you back to the main campground, you looked at Nikki and said, "Why'd you pick that squirrel? It wasn't even biggest one around." You gestured to the much plumper squirrels scurrying for cover as you passed a trash can. "These are way better." 

Nikki narrowed her eyes and darkly answered, "She ate my pecan tree." Her serious tone made it difficult to suppress the oncoming laughter that threatened to spill past your lips. 

"What the fuck does that mean?" Came Max's predictably grumpy questioning. 

"I planted a pecan seed a few weeks ago. That squirrel dug it up and ate it. I saw her do it." Nikki pointed, jabbed really, at her chest multiple times and crazily muttered, "She had the same patch of fur. I know she did." Nikki continued to repeat herself as you arrived back to camp just in time for lunch it seemed. You shooed them off and opted for hanging out in the counselor's cabin.

Some peace and quiet was in order. 

After raiding the minifridge for snacks, you strutted over to the tacky armchair, spun on your heel, and collapsed onto the comfortable furniture. With your legs draped over the arms of the chair, you leaned your head back and closed your eyes. The cool can of soda was equally as refreshing as the silence. 

The fizzy drink burned your throat on the way down. The pain quickly subsided and was replaced by pleasure. Your mind went blank. Rare moments of serenity like this were in high demand. You were happy to have it. The silence. 

But with that tranquility came an involuntary rush of fear, anxiety, and paranoia of your surroundings. 

The sound of twigs snapping outside of the cabin caused your eyes to fly open. The dull, bronze knob jiggled a little, but immediately stopped. 

While you were a well liked counselor among the campers, it didn't make you immune to their pranks. Though you were sure no one saw you flee into the counselor's cabin, you wouldn't put it past Max or Nurf to go out of their way to fuck with you. 

Alarm and instincts drove you to sit up abruptly. The sudden change made your head spin, yet you glared tensely at the door, waiting for whoever was on the other side to enter the cabin. Logic clearly explained the presence shouldn't be fretted over. Logic said it would be one of the campers or one of the counselors. It was the whisper of doubt that quickly convinced you it was a threat; THE threat. 

The uneasy atmosphere dissipated with your garbled thoughts when a familiar face appeared in the window and knocked. A sigh of relief exited through your nose as you stood up and swiftly trotted to the door. You paused to unlock it. 

A soft click echoed in the cabin as you swung the door open. Brows raised, you stared down at the little girl who was the sole reason you were at the run down camp in the first place. 

"Jeez man, you couldn't have knocked?" You whined as you shut the door behind the honey eyed girl. 

She shrugged, "I did." 

You shook your head and snorted, "Clem, the window doesn't count." 

Her innocent smile warped into a smug smirk. "Yes it does." Failing to resist the urge, you mirrored her expression and chuckled. The girl's focus drifted down to your hand. "Uh.....(Name)?" You followed her gaze. Oh. That was a problem. 

In your blind panic, you unknowingly crushed the soda can you barely started drinking. A puddle of dark brown liquid bubbled at the foot of the chair. Small droplets that shrunk in size came in a close trail that led to where you stood. In fact, some of your sugary beverage dripped down your leg, staining your pristine sock. Your hand had already grown sticky much to your annoyance. 

"Well damn." You muttered under your breath. The mess had to be taken care of, stat. Ants were high on your shitlist of pests. If you were being honest, you hated most insects. After dealing with crazy ass children, the last thing you counselors needed was an army of ants to storm and seize the castle. 

Somewhat mockingly, Clementine lamented as she tugged at her pants leg, "That was a waste of a soda." She walked to the mini-fridge and fished out a Capri Sun. She then took a seat on the couch and curled into the plush cushions while you cleaned out the can. 

"Pepsi tastes like ass when it's flat anyway." You replied, hands wet and mop in hand. Through the tedious back and forth motions, you glanced at Clementine and asked, "So what'd you come looking for me for?" 

She raised a brow. Straw raised like a knife, she stated, "You told me to meet you here remember?" Your blank slate for a face prompted her to add, "Before Harry pulled a sword out of his hat and Nurf tried stabbing Preston with it." She pierced the juice pouch and began sipping the Wild Cherry flavored drink. 

A rough facepalm later, you groaned and nodded, "Right. Right. I did do that." You cleaned up the last traces of the soda accident rather slowly. Once it was gone, you leaned against the warm, plastic handle of the mop and questioned, "So, how are you liking Camp Campbell thus far?"

Shyness flickered in her eyes for a moment. She took another sip of her juice before answering, "It's different than what I thought it'd be." Her nose wrinkled as she continued, "A lot different than it was advertised." 

"Got that right." You laughed. "It's.....uh.....It's a bit of a--" "Dump." Her blunt, monotonous delivery made you snicker. Your amusement faded just as fast as it came once you realized how dreary her tone was. "Erm.....do you want to keep staying?" 

Because if she didn't, then it'd be in your best interest to pack your bags and head a few states over to a reliable friend who would take you two in. Her possibly having fun at this camp was the reason you even took a second glance at this shithole. It was a risky move, but you wanted her to have a semblance of normalcy in her life. 

Your tense waiting came to an end. Clementine looked away for a second, then said, "Yeah. It's fun. A different kind of fun than I expected, but I like it!" 

The inkling of innocent, childish happiness in her face and tone made you grin like a madwoman. To see that your perilous gamble against your instincts paid off filled you with a kind of joy that you couldn't explain. 

"That's good." You repeated it twice. With a new pep in your step, you put the mop away and engaged the young girl in conversation again. Mostly her thoughts on the other campers now that she had spent more time with them. Out of all the campers, Clementine easily took the cake when it came to the least problematic. Funny, it struck a chord of humorless amusement in you. This girl more than likely had seen more than any of them would see, yet she didn't act out. Her extreme maturity astonished you at first, but the more time you spent together the faster you recognized she was different than other kids. 

She read situations better than some adults you'd known. She responded better to said situations better than most adults you knew. Hell, sometimes, she kept a cooler head than you did. She had your back no matter what, and you had hers. 

So yeah, the kid deserved to be a kid, even if the place she chose to do so was a scam. 

The two of you were in the middle of debating who was crazier the Wood Scouts or the Flower Scouts when eccentric rapping at the door interrupted the discussion. You gestured for Clem to stay seated while you tended to the intruder. Just from the energy alone, you had a pretty good guess of who was there. 

"There you are Pam!" Came the singsong cheer from your red headed coworker like you predicted. "I wanted to....oh." He paused at the sight of the little girl. "Lola's here too?" His surprise switched back to his happy-go-lucky attitude. "I should have known. If she's not with the other campers, she's with you." 

You shot Clementine a look over your shoulder and hummed, "Yeah, true. Anyways, what did you want?" 

He grabbed a hold of your elbow and dragged you out as he beamed brightly, "We were looking for you two. We're going on a hike today. This time, I was thinking of...." He rambled on and on all the while you stumbled behind him and Clementine followed in tow. The girl giggled at David's enthusiasm, but stayed quiet as she finished her juice. 

Merely thinking of the chaos that came with hiking made you purse your lips. Regardless, you backed him up when he sprung the trip on the campers and Gwen. 

"Why are we doing this again?" She huffed as she stepped over a rotting log covered with moss and large insects. 

The beanpole of a counselor threw his arms up excitedly and answered, "Because it's been a while since we've all watched a sunset together." 

"We could have done that kumbaya shit back at the lake." Max grumbled, back slouched. His hands were stuffed into the pocket of his hoodie. 

You stayed quiet in favor of keeping an eye on the kids. David led the pack, Gwen tailed the back, and you held the middle down. The most troublesome kids were forced to stay near the front so two sets of eyes were on them at all time. Good thing you paid close attention too. When David broke into a song about different tree types, Max's telltale eye twitch put you on guard. He slipped a switchblade out of his pocket and tried handing it to Nurf, but you confiscated the knife on the spot and shot him a dirty look masked by a grin. 

"Play nice." You growled through clenched teeth. 

Max returned the strained, faux smile and hissed, "I am." 

The sky shifted from its soft baby blue tones to warmer orange ones. Crickets sang their symphonies in perfect unison with the brook that cut your path in two. A clearing neared in the distance, urging the lot of you to move faster. 

The minute you all arrived, the kids dispersed faster than dandelion seeds caught in a summer breeze. Chatter erupted amongst the campers. You took shelter under the ample shade of a smooth barked tree. One leg extended, one leg bent and used as an arm rest. You scanned the area, absorbing every plentiful detail nature provided. After you finished admiring the clearing, you looked for Clementine. It was a habit really. You found her with ease, sitting beside Ered and Dolph. 

"Enjoying the view co-counselor?" 

Somehow, you managed to avoid jumping out of your skin when a green blur sat down next to you. David was smiling away while Gwen couldn't look more disinterested. She examined her nails as she sat down on the other side of you. 

"So far, yeah." You responded with a small smile. 

More small talk spawned between you three consisting mainly of future camp activities. The slight deviation involved discussing which campers might need more help with some activities than others. 

Eventually, the conversation was laid to rest as the sun began to set. David hopped up and pranced around each group. He encouraged everyone to get cozy before he returned to his spot. The sun dipped under the horizon made of distant treetops. With it, left the warm colors of the palette. In its stead, deep blues, dark purples, and bright, shining stars dotted the skies. The sun's sinking drained the sky of light and had the same affect on the children's energy. 

Neil's yawn caused a domino effect. First Max, Nikki, and Dolph. Then you, Clem, and Nurf. Ered, Nerris, and Harrison. Lastly, Gwen, Preston, and Space Kid.

"Damn it." You muttered before you yawned again. David marched on, never wavering like you or Gwen.

His boundless energy was something you could only wish to attain. 

By some miracle, you all had managed to make it back without any setbacks. Perhaps watching the sunset was a good idea. It sapped them of the discourse they would have unleashed onto your poor trio. Once you made it back, the campers trudged to the Mess Hall for dinner. They ate sluggishly before vanishing one by one into their tents like vampires returning to their coffins just before dawn.

"I'll make the extra rounds tonight. You two get to bed early! We have a big day ahead of us." David chimed with exuberance. 

You opened your mouth to object, but Gwen slapped a hand over your mouth and gracefully dragged you away. "Thanks for taking one for the team David." A cheery 'No problem!' and salute later, the man was gone. 

"You can thank me for saving your ass later Pam." Gwen said as she patted your back, a lethal does of nonchalance lacing her tone. 

You rolled your eyes and retorted, "I hope he doesn't run into any issues. Otherwise we'll be the ones who have to fix it." 

The girl shot you a tired smirk. "Not if we're asleep. Have some faith in him." And with that, Gwen departed for her room and you yours. 

The air was warm, not as bad as it had been a few times before. A soft tug at the chain hanging from the bedside lamp plunged the room into darkness. As you crawled into bed and settled into the sheets, the worries suppressed by the sunlight and childcare activities launched to the forefront of your thoughts.

Plans. Backup plans. Backup plans for the backup plans. If this happened, then this would be your best move. If that doesn't work out, then maybe this would- No, cross out the maybe. It HAS to work. There's no room for failure. Had there ever been? Where should you go next. Places you haven't been to yet that would make for good cover, of course. Stop heading entirely east and start drifting north. Sure, the cold weather might be an annoyance, but it was better than staying put. Almost any alternative was better than staying put. Keep moving, like he advised. Like you promised you would. It worked so far, and it should continue to if you played your cards right. If it didn't, then......then you'd figure something out. You always did. By the skin of your teeth sometimes. Worst case scenarios crept into the back of your mind, shoved themselves into the spotlight and demanded every ounce of attention. Like being found and ambushed or an ambiguous sighting of a familiar face that would spark paranoia or-

"Fuck." You gave a shuddery exhale and sat up. "Damn it, not again." 

Sweat beads rolled down the sides of your face. Your cheeks felt aflame in a combination of embarrassment and adrenaline pumping through your veins. A perspiration mustache even managed to form. 

Frustrated with yourself, you wiped the sweat off with the back of your hand and tore the sheets off of you. They strangled you, trapped you and you needed to get away. After you fruitlessly fanned yourself, you snuck out of your room and decided you should walk the thoughts away. Not before you grabbed a glass of water though. 

Owls, crickets, and coyotes joined in song. Howls, chirping, and hooting filled the air, but somehow, it still felt quiet. Too quiet for your liking. 

To you, the sky resembled a toddler's art project: A spilled tube of silver glitter across an opaque sheet of paper. Half finished, sadly. Not because materials were lacking, but because interest was lost. How could it be that so many stars shone at night, but it was still so damn dark? 

A sudden breeze raised your hair on end. 

The deafening silence and abysmal darkness fueled your paranoia. You weren't afraid of the dark. You just hated the silence and tension that accompanied the moon. At least, that's what you convinced yourself it was. You didn't know anymore honestly.

Under the cover of night, there came an approaching silhouette. You tensed for a moment until you recognized the figure. "What are you doing up?" You half chided, half cooed as you placed a hand on the honey eyed girl's head. She looked up at you, wide eyed and fully awake. Your features softened. "Was it another nightmare?" 

"Yeah....." She trailed off before averting her gaze to the ground. 

"Was it the same as last time?" A nod. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

She shook her head. "No, not really. I just don't wanna sleep for a while." 

"Neither do I." You stifled a yawn and looked around to find something to pass the time and take her mind off her night terrors. The lake immediately caught your eye. "Say, have I ever showed you how to skip stones?" When she told you you hadn't, you motioned to the lake and said, "Better late than never." 

Just as you hoped, teaching her to skip stones brought a smile to her face and, by proxy, yours. She picked up the skill quickly like everything she tried. Silly as it sounded, pride flared in your heart each time the stone she tossed went farther than the last. 

"Let's see who can skip it the furthest." She handed you a flat, oval shaped rock. It was a bit roughed up, a dent here and a chip there, but you could definitely make it work. 

You snickered and set your glass down. "Careful now. You're challenging the master of stone skipping." 

"We'll see about that." She quipped. 

First round was a tie. Both of you got five skips. "Not bad, rookie." You praised while rubbing your chin. 

Second round resulted in you getting seven and Clem getting eight. Her smug grin fired you up to do better. "Master of stone skipping, huh?" "Beginners luck." You both giggled before winding up for the next round.

Clem bumped up her high score to ten. She turned to you, said nothing and smiled. "Keep it up, and you'll be grounded for a week." You teased as you tossed the rock up and caught it. "Now watch and learn." You wound your arm back and whipped it forward, hurling the rock across the water. It skipped once, twice, three times, and kept going until you saw it sink at twelve. "Hope you took notes." 

You glanced down at the rock pile that sat at your feet only to find the supply of good skipping stones completely depleted. Your lips were drawn into a tight line as you and Clem shared a 'Well shit' look. 

"Truce?" 

"Truce." 

You took a seat at the edge of the wooden pier. It groaned a bit under your weight, but easily accommodated the two of you. Shoes and socks off, the two of you dipped your legs into the cool lake. 

"I wanted to ask you earlier," the girl spoke softly, "Do you like camp?" 

You nodded. "It's a nice break. What matters to me most, though, is that you're having fun. And you are, so yeah. I guess you can say I like camp." 

"Okay." She kicked her feet back and forth a little before cautiously treading further. "Do you like everyone?" 

"Long as they are nice to you, they're good in my book." 

"How about Gwen?" 

Despite the fact you two disagreed half of the time, you enjoyed Gwen and what she had to offer. Down to earth, unfiltered, and cynical. She somehow managed to be both lazy and proactive. 

She was pretty damn cool in your book. 

"She's cool. She's also pretty damn funny. I like her." You answered simply. 

Clem nodded. "What about David?" 

David's love of Camp Campbell truly mystified you as did his endless fountain of optimism and positivity. Like the Pepsi you had earlier, his outlook on life was beautifully refreshing.

You needed more of it in your life.

"I have to admit. He's got a lot of spirit. It's admirable." You sighed wistfully. The second you saw the look on Clem's face, you frowned. You already knew what she was about to imply and opened your mouth to protest when you were both caught by surprise. 

"Pam? Lola? What on earth are you two doing up at this hour?" Asked a disembodied voice from behind you, causing you to whip around, eyes wide with suprise. "Tomorrow is going to be an action packed day of camp. You should be getting rest!" 

There stood the red headed go getter toting a flickering, but bright lantern.

Cue synchronized sighs of relief. 

Saying David startled you YET AGAIN would be an understatement. "Scare the mess out of me, why don't you?" You joked. His serious expression remained unwavering. You straightened out your slouched posture, swallowed your nerves, and truthfully replied, "Neither of us could sleep. So we're enjoying the view." 

The ecstatic counselor tilted his head for a moment before he grinned ear to ear. "Mind if I join?" He asked, hope clear in his voice. 

"Uh, sure." You affirmed as you shifted to make room for him. "Knock yourself out." 

The three of you sat and watched fireflies make the lake their stage. They fluttered by, moving like falling embers caught in a twister of summer air. Funny, you never took the time to ever actually observe the entrancing creatures. You watched every movement closely now. Trying to etch the event in your memory bank for years to come. You couldn't guarantee you'd get more memories like these. Hell, you couldn't guarantee the next day you'd still be in Sleepy Peak. So you wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. 

David, being the nature guy, spouted a research paper's worth of facts. Most of which you didn't know. "Fireflies also use their lights to find mates. Each species has a specific pattern of lighting to attract the most suitable partner." 

"Mates?" Clementine questioned while throwing a look your way. "What's a mate?" 

"Well Lola, a mate is--" Nope. You were ending this right here, right now. Clementine knew damn well what a mate was. You'd taught her about it three years prior. 

Your jaw tightened. "I think we're all fun fact-ed out for today." You stood up, hands on your hips, and said, "Like you said David, tomorrow is a big day and we should rest up." The other two stood up. "I'll walk Cl-" you coughed, "Lola to her tent. I'll meet you back at the cabin David." 

"Oh, I was thinking we could walk back together." You missed his ever-so-slightly dejected tone as you were busy fretting if he caught onto your slip up. His volume tapered off since you didn't even seem to hear him. 

Completely oblivious of David, you swiftly ushered Clementine to her tent, muttering, "You've got some nerve." 

"I have a great teacher." She retorted playfully as she neared her sleeping place. 

"You've been hanging out with Max too much." You watched her giggle and disappear into the tent. You shook your head. Spinning on your heel, you headed back, but paused when you heard something that sounded like clothes shuffling. Fortunately, a breeze passed at the same time, and you were able to dismiss the notion of a conscious camper or an intruder. 

Sleep, you were ready for it. 

When you got back to the cabin, the lights were off and no noise came from either room. You assumed David did as you asked, but got tired of waiting. The bed felt far more welcoming than it had previously. Your arm ached a little. All those rocks you threw were going to add up tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

It was a relatively calm day. You hoped the tranquility was just that. Not an ominous sign of something to come. Like the calm before the storm.


	2. Up Shit's Creek

If there was one thing for certain, it was that David would be the first to rise.

Today was no different.

He never missed a day. At the ass crack of dawn, the jovial man skipped around the cabin like he was wired on three pots of espresso. His humming filled the cabin as he strolled around the reasonably empty space. The humming evolved into singing when he stepped into the bathroom. A rush of water spurted from the shower head, and the main counselor took his ten minute shower. After he finished tidying himself up, he knocked on your door to gain some company. The two of you talked once you left your room, dressed for the day. The two of you left Gwen to her own devices and wake when she felt like it. David learned two lessons the hard way on the first day of camp.

Lesson One: Knock first. Knock loudly, cause more than likely, you were nodding off to music.

You had a sixth sense of sorts. Not that it helped much, but you always woke up before something happened. Be it earthquakes, explosions, gunshots, footsteps, or knocking.

For a long time, you used to jolt as you were harshly yanked from your prophetic dream to a strange middle ground where your body was numb. Like you were floating amidst an endless void, drifting through the darkness. Then when you thought you had settled down, you were sucked into the warp called reality. Your heart pounded badly to the point your chest cramped so you had to massage circles against your chest to soothe the pain. To add to the extreme discomfort, buckets of sweat drenched the oversized shirt you wore to sleep. It used to happen often. Weeks and weeks repeatedly. Each time, the pain became greater and greater. It drew tears of frustration and hurt.

Nowadays though, the transitions were seamless. It stopped hurting to wake up.

You also slept only in an oversized (f/c) shirt that barely reached mid thigh.

The doors had locks and you'd have to be a fool not to utilize such a feature. Being in a new environment caused you to twitch awake with a soft gasp. You glanced at the clock, decided you had some time to lounge a little, and napped the grogginess off while listening to music. Legs propped up and crossed, your foot wiggled to the beat O-o-h Child by The Five Stairsteps. The cloth of your shirt slid off your thigh, pooling at your crotch from the jerky movement. You plunged into the music and got lost in it.

Well, when David came around, he panicked since you didn't utter a peep. As a result, he quickly used a master key and burst into your room.

Crimson red had nothing on the shade that painted David's features. He sputtered nonsense for a solid minute before he sloppily apologized and stumbled out of your room. He left you wondering how sheltered he was.

The only skin he saw was the side of your butt. Something clearly visible if you wore a bikini or a leotard. It wasn't that risqué, was it? You took that as your cue to get moving. He couldn't make eye contact with you until you assured him you weren't mad he accidentally barged in when you were 'undressed'.

"I was just excited to share some time with my co-counselors before our first day started!" He explained, face still redder than the ripest tomato.

To save him from embarrassing himself again, you made it a point to be ready after he finished showering so he had someone to talk to about the day's upcoming events and give Gwen the precious moments of sleep she desperately required. Speaking of which......

Lesson Two: Gwen didn't like her beauty sleep being interrupted.

Right after David hurriedly evacuated your room, he went to wake Gwen. Her door had been left unlocked. And despite learning he should wait a little after he knocked, David entered her room and practically sang a song. All you know from what the red haired man told you, is that Gwen cracked open a single eye and growled an unending list of threats and curses as she shot out of bed. She shoved him out of her room, called him some unsavory names, and locked the door. She didn't emerge for another two hours. When she did, David ducked behind you and whimpered.

Ever since then, Gwen was allowed extra sleep because she wasn't a morning person. Especially as of recent.

Back to the the present, your eyes fluttered open instead of snapping violently. They almost slid shut again with how comfortable you were in your bed. The serenity of morning never truly made sense to you until this summer. Right on time, David walked past your door.

Yawn after yawn, you woke up little by little. You flipped onto your side, wrapping your arms around a fluffy pillow to satisfy the quota for mandatory morning cuddles. A deep sniff made your head spin. Detergent and pine. That's what the pillow smelled of. Call it weird, but you enjoyed the plain scent of detergent. Unique, artificial smells drove you mad with how itchy the tip of your nose became. The clashing odors, POWERFUL odors, made your nose itch intensely. Not the 'Oh no, I'm going to sneeze fifty times in a row' kind of itch. It was more of a you had to scratch your nose raw, red, and burning or evacuate the store and wait for the annoying issue to subside. You couldn't handle a short walk through JC Penney's unless you stuffed the lower half of your face into your shirt and held your breath.

Soft humming turned into full blown singing and you knew David was about to shower. With reluctance, you sat up and rolled out of bed. A pair of freshly washed brown tights and a green shirt sat on the wooden chair folded rather nicely. You were the only counselor who wore pants.

How else would you cover the fascinating scars that littered the skin of your legs like the medallions of decorated war heroes?

Insecure, you ask? No. There were only so many lies you could invent and keep track of. The kids would badger you about them, especially Nurf, Nikki, and maybe Max. Little bastard was always scheming. He was always snooping, searching for any meat morsel of blackmail he could hold over any of the counselors to get what he wanted.

He'd never gotten the upper hand on you though. And his demeanor easily showed his failed efforts were getting to him. The amount of times you came to your room to find the lock picked and a few things slightly out of place were increasing. A part of you worried, but the other half knew his attempts were in vain.

'Wonder what he wants.' You mused as you tied your hair back. 'Must be something outrageous if he thinks he can find any dirt on me so easily.'

Though you'd have liked to forget about the past, there were some things that would never change and some things you never wanted to lose. Like your insane flexibility that came from hours upon hours equating to years you burned in a dance studio. To this day, you could still hear your teacher screeching at you like a banshee, demanding a deeper split, a higher relevé, more pirouettes, backbends, and leaps. 'Repetition is the mother of learning' she'd always say.

Once you had your fun with a fair amount of leg hold pirouettes, you shimmied into the uniform, laced your shoes up, and headed out. You leaned against the wall, waiting for David to show up and gush about the day's activities.

Minutes later, he came prancing out of his room, humming the camp's song with vigor. As always, he grinned when he saw you and waved excitedly.

"Good morning Pam!" He sang. "Are you ready for today?"

You shrugged and pulled the door open, following the lanky red head to the distant shed full of supplies. "Depends on what you have planned."

"I'm sure everyone is going to love it! Especially because it's going to be a scorcher later on." The two of you stopped at the shed. David whipped out a ring of keys. He took care to flip through each key to unlock the shiny, steel padlock hanging from the heavy duty chains. Since Max and co. managed to weasel into the shed on multiple occasions and get their hands on dangerous shit, Gwen convinced David a security upgrade was sorely needed.

An hour long debate pursued. A high tech, state of the art lock which utilized finger prints, a passcode, a special ID card, and an eye scan was only just out of your budget. As fun as it would have been to have, your pay would have been docked and Neil would figure out how to bypass every single step in a day. Even if he didn't, you weren't going to risk waking up to a missing eyeball and thumb.

So the three of you settled on rotating out the lock every week upon your suggestion. The two seemed to follow your lead on most issues despite David being the head counselor. Must have had to do with you lying about your age.

"It's the yellow key." You murmured the second David passed it. "Tenth lock, remember?"

"O-Oh, right!" He stuttered, skipping back a key and inserting it into the lock. A soft click sounded once he turned it. The chains rattled as he removed them from their complicated loops through the handles.

Loud groaning reminded you of how old the shack was. With the doors open, every dust bunny rose from their grave and rushed to meet the outside air. Burying your face into your shirt did little to protect you from the onslaught. Muffled sneezes and strained 'Bless You's' occurred for a minute straight. Regaining your composure took some effort, but once you stopped sneezing and wiped the tears away, you were met with quite the mess. A cardboard box full of grenades sat in view. Someone had been in here recently you realized. One swift kick sent the explosive threat skidding into obscurity before David could spot it and freak out. He went great lengths to play dumb to Campbell's sketchiness, but it would be hard for him to deny a box of grenades being a danger to the kids.

"What exactly are we looking for David?" You asked, swatting at a swinging thread of silk a spider spun.

The red head nudged you. "It's a surprise." He clipped the ring of keys to his hip and wiped his hands on his shorts.

"That's not suspicious at all."

He stepped over a few black, trash bags which had toppled over who knows how long ago. He absentmindedly mumbled under his breath, "They're in here somewhere." The shadows quickly swallowed his form, leaving you at the entrance. Hesitance surfacing, you threw a worried glance over your shoulder before you decided to creep in after him. Squinting through the darkness granted you sight enough to make out a silhouette near the end of the shed.

"Here they are!" David exclaimed. Moments later, a beam of light flickered and shone on a stack of fine, wooden canoes. Where he got the flashlight, you couldn't figure out. You watched him set the light on a shelf behind him.

"We're canoeing today?" You asked as he gripped the edge of the canoe sitting atop two more.

"Yup! I got the idea during my rounds last night." Much to your surprise, he lifted the canoe with ease. "I figured a day on the water would do all of us some good." He angled the flashlight to illuminate the dusty, obstacle ridden path. Canoe draped over his shoulders, David marched out of the shed while you watched him in awe.

'Maybe it's not that heavy...' You shuffled up to the stack of canoes and drummed the wood with your palms. You dug your fingers under the ledge, attempted to pull the canoe up, and managed to raise it higher than a foot before the pressure on your appendages became too much. You set the canoe down gently, sighing quietly. It was too early to be deadlifting. Especially when the ache from the prior night's stone skipping session slowly began to devour your arm.

David returned faster than you anticipated. You were struggling to lift the canoe when he barged back in. Concern evident in his tone, he questioned, "Is there something wrong Pam?"

Rather than admit your soreness was getting the better of you, you rubbed your eyes and coughed out a lie, "Just a little morning grogginess. It should clear up soon." A tacked on yawn and a little stretch to sell it.

The extensive acting classes you had over a decade ago were still paying off. David nodded in understanding. "I'll grab this one. You take as long as you need." You hummed and took a seat on a comically beat up safe. This time, you made sure to observe how David picked up the damn thing.

He repositioned the canoe before setting the bottom of the canoe on his bent knees. He held a small piece of wood splitting the canoe in two halves like a handle before planting his other hand on the other side of the canoe facing skyward. He took a moment to adjust, then nimbly switched his grip on the wooden handle to the side of the canoe resting on his knees. His back slipped under the canoe and he stood up straight, carrying the canoe like the first. You watched him strut out of the shed again, whistling the same tune he had been humming earlier.

A confused head tilt with a side of being impressed was in order. It wasn't often camp activities called for raw feats of strength. Not to be a dick, but David didn't exactly strike you as physically strong. The boy was the embodiment of noodle arms and legs. The nicknames beanpole and string bean had been bestowed on him for his form.

'Enough rest.' You told yourself once you saw David coming back a third time. You didn't want to burden him with having to carry a third canoe. Faking another yawn, you stood up and walked over to the canoe. David's actions on replay in your head, you prepared to lift the canoe.

You heard him begin to speak, but you jumped into action. Lift, settle, grip, grip, push, grip, slip, lift. And just like that, the weight of the canoe rested on your back as it had on David's.

"Wow!" His voice echoed. "I didn't know you were so well rehearsed with lifting canoes too Pam."

The curve of the canoe blocked his face because you weren't the tallest tree in the forest. All you had to look at was the floor and his boots, so you stared at his boots as you addressed his praise. "I learned from watching you do it just now."

"I knew you were a fast learner, but I didn't know you were that quick." The happiness in his voice was infectious. A smile etched itself onto your features as he commented, "I see where Lola gets it from!"

"That kid is smarter than I'll ever be." You chuckled, "I could use a second pair of eyes to tell me where to go, though." You couldn't see where you were going and the other end of the canoe teetered dangerously close to the ground, threatening to scrape along with each step. "I can't see shit with this thing hanging over my face."

His stammering agreement almost made you laugh. You'd forgotten how much he "disliked" swearing. The only reason he let it slide without chiding you was because there were no kids around. Otherwise, he'd be giving you a lecture about how swearing in front of kids was bad and unprofessional. Though his lenience on swearing seemed to grow after the whole 'Order of the Sparrow' dilemma.

"Pam? Pam!"

The wooden shell practically clotheslined you when something tugged on the canoe. You snapped out of your thoughts instantly. "What?" You chirped as you froze in place.

"You almost walked into the lake!" He exclaimed, raising the lower half of the canoe using only one arm. David poked his head in. Charged full of worry, he asked, "Are you sure you're okay? You're spacing out a lot. Is there something wrong?"

You blinked. "Like I said, I'm just a little more tired than usual for some reason."

"If you say so." Even if you couldn't see it, it wasn't hard to picture the suspicion on his face.

Not wanting him to delve deeper, you cleared your throat and asked, "I didn't watch you put the canoe down, so do you mind giving me a hand?"

David happily obliged. From your limited vision, you saw him set some oars against something before he jogged back to you. The weight of the canoe rapidly vanished. He held the side of the canoe while you set the other side down and crawled out from under it. After he carefully lowered it to the ground, the two of you pushed it into the water. The other two canoes were tethered at the end of the dock, bobbing ever so slightly on the peaceful lake. You scooped an oar off the ground, stabbed the blade of the oar into the canoe, and stalked along the wooden path.

"I decided to split us into groups for the trip." He said, following close behind you.

"What could possibly go wrong?" You deadpanned as you dragged the canoe through the water to the edge of the dock.

Your little comment completely flew over David's radar. He was practically dancing in place as he reached into his pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper the size of a matchbox. "Alright, the campers in my canoe would be Max, Nikki, Neil, and Nurf....."

He continued to list off the canoeing groups, but his first squad was asking for trouble. Max's attitude was fickle. One minute, he'd be cool as a cucumber. The next minute, he'd be tying David to train tracks and enjoying a cup of coffee as the train barreled closer. He already tried convincing Nerf to stab David on the hiking trip the day before. The last thing anyone needed was Max talking Nikki into rocking the boat so he could drown the poor counselor.

"Those three together with you? No." You interjected once he finished. Gently, he frowned, silently asking you to elaborate which you gladly did. "Max, Nikki, and Neil are a hell of a combo to deal with alone. I don't want to have to rescue someone from being drowned." "But--" "This is supposed to be stress free day right?"

He didn't argue further.

The two of you entered the Mess Hall to find the Quartermaster sulking into the kitchen. David greeted the man only to receive a tired grunt in return. You merely nodded at the geezer. Something about him didn't sit quite right with you, but you couldn't pinpoint the problem.

It took a bit of persuasion and subtle threats as you and David reworked the groups. The product made you feel better despite the amount of begging David did. He pleaded that you change the kids in your group, but you were adamant and brushed off his pleas. Even if he did have the final say, you refused to switch up the kids once you were satisfied.

He would have Dolph, Nerris, Ered, and Scotty. Poor Scotty was always forgotten. David was flustered when you pointed out how he had left the aspiring clown out of the original draft. It was easier to saddle David with the calmer kids of the camp.

Gwen - being a bit more stern and capable of handling the rowdier kids - had been assigned Harrison, Preston, Nikki, and Space Kid. They weren't too bad, but they were certainly energetic.

And you. Well, you got the shitty end of the stick. Max, Neil, Nurf, and "Lola". Nurf's violent behavior fluctuated between two drastic measures. Max would be in your ear nonstop about how much he hated canoeing. Without a doubt, whining about anything that isn't scientific was Neil's game. Hopefully, Clementine....rather LOLA would keep them in their places. She had impressive peacemaking skills she claimed to have learned from you.

"A-Are you sure about this?" David stuttered.

You nodded. "A hundred percent sure. We split the kids who have....issues with each other up. Whether you like it or not, Nerris and Neil aren't fond of Harrison. Putting all three of them with Gwen would be quite the spectacle. Do you want to give her a nervous breakdown?"

Speak of the devil and she shall appear. The Mess Hall doors swung open to reveal a disheveled Gwen, clearly deprived of sleep. You glanced at the clock and clicked your tongue. It was too early for her to be up, but here she was. Staggering forward, the drowsy woman headed straight for the kitchen, following the waft of coffee like a zombie would human flesh. She was a grumpy, grumbling mess. Feet dragging, Gwen eventually came to the table the you and David inhabited and plopped down next to you.

"Good morning Gwen!" David sung with a single clap. She replied with a dull grunt. "I bet you'd like to know what we're doing today." Another unenthusiastic grunt. "We're going canoeing!" He handed her the worn piece of paper.

Her eyes skimmed the names and groups. A flash of relief crossed her features, but that flash disappeared and was replaced with horror. She turned to you, sympathy in her eyes. You waved her off, not wanting to restart the argument you had with David about your group. With Clementine's help, you were sure you could handle them without breaking a sweat.

"So........" You set your chin on your palm and stared at David. "How are things with Bonquisha?"

David's eyes brightened tenfold. He sat straighter than before and began pouring his heart out. He rambled on and on about how great things were. Gwen ate it up. She was quite the sucker for romance. You stumbled upon her cache of lesbian romance novels and caught her watching something called Teen Prison Mom Wars. The utter terror on her face when you asked her about both made you snicker. You promised to never bring it up again so long as she shared the stash.

She also seemed to like Bonquisha a lot. So much so, it made you slightly suspicious, but you believed it wouldn't do anything harmful.

Besides, what did you know about relationships?

"We're going on another date tonight." He stated nervously.

Gwen slammed her coffee mug on the table and leaned close to David. "Where at? What time? What are you wearing?"

David shrugged. "She wanted to pick. She said she'd message me about it later." He checked his watch and smiled. "It's time to go wake up the campers! I'll be right back." The cheery counselor bounded out of the mess hall. You and Gwen sat in a short lived silence. She craned her neck to look at you, picked up her mug, and closed her eyes.

"I give them two weeks." She sighed, swirling the remnants of coffee in her sturdy ass mug. You raised a brow. She interpreted your surprise and explained, "They are polar opposites. He's way too soft for her. She's extreme. There's no way they'll stay together."

"And I'm the one who lacks faith in him?" You joked. Gwen shot you an annoyed look, and you smirked in response. "I thought you liked predictable romance."

"To an extent, Pam. To an extent." She chugged the last of the coffee down before murmuring, "I just hope that it doesn't hit him too hard, but knowing David......" She trailed off and shook her head. "That will be a breakdown I'm not looking forward to as much as I love drama."

"Maybe they'll pull through." You suggested with an optimistic tone. "David is the literal embodiment of chivalry. You have to admit, that's hard to find nowadays."

"Yeah, but I don't know if chivalry will satisfy someone like Bonquisha." Gwen was never the type to look for a silver lining. She lived for drama and whatnot. So when she cast that mischievous grin at you, you groaned and considered leaping out the window to escape the onslaught of prodding she was about to do.

"Don't you start." You warned, austerity leaking into your voice.

She rolled her eyes and cheekily answered, "Oh, I'm starting." Of course she would disregard your warning/threat hybrid. "When are you getting back into the dating scene?"

Truth be told, you'd never set foot in the dating world given your circumstances, but if you wanted to keep her from growing wise to your lies, you'd had to play along. Be predictable.

"I mean........." You exhaled through your nose. "I didn't plan on going back. Not when I have Lola to take care of. I have better things to worry about."

"You expect me to believe that Pam?" Gwen waggled her pointer finger. "You're young, intelligent, and beautiful. You could get anyone you wanted like that." She snapped to add emphasis behind her statement.

"Young? C'mon." You shook your head. "I'm older than you and David--"

Your rebuttal was cut short by David marching into the Mess Hall, campers sulking behind him in tow. They dragged their feet like Gwen had earlier. The tables squeaked as each child sluggishly clambered on the bench and ate their morning slop, oatmeal and water. Most of the time, they scooped a lump of the disgusting food and flung it across the room. The targets varied from day to day. Harrison, David, Preston, David, and David were the common receivers of the flying breakfast mush.

Nurf aimed and hit Clementine with oatmeal once.

He fell a lot that day.

"That's the fifth time you've tripped today Nurf!" David fretted when the heavy set boy faceplanted into the dirt after you passed by. "Are you sure you're feel alright?"

By the way his brows furrowed and his face burned a deep scarlet, you could tell he was going to throw an accusation your way. He opened his mouth to tattle, but you stared expectedly over David's shoulder, daring the embodiment of a stereotypical bully to mumble an excuse. He never did. He closed his mouth, wiped the dirt off his clothes, and moved on with his day.

After that, his hazing of your "daughter" declined until he stole her hat. And everyone knows how that story ends.

Back to the present. "Eat up campers!" David jovially chimed, bouncing between the tables. "You'll need all the energy you can get for today's activities!"

"David," you heard Max grunt, "Shut the fuck up. It's too early for your bullshit."

"It's never too early to be excited about a day at Camp Campbell Max!" The red head brushed off the insults like water off a duck's back. The two shared a little more banter before David skipped off, leaving Max red in the face with frustration and annoyance. He nearly snapped the spoon in half as he glared at the back of David's head. His nostrils flared, but instead of lashing out, Max dropped the spoon on the table and laid his head on the wood.

"We're not done talking about this Pam." Gwen said lightheartedly.

You rolled your eyes, earning a snort from the girl. "Yeah, sure we aren't."

Breakfast came and went without a hitch, much to your surprise. Whether that meant they would act up worse later, you didn't know, but you enjoyed the odd tranquility of the Mess Hall this morning.

Before you knew it, you were standing at the shore of Lake Lilac, David at the helm with an oar in hand. The red haired counselor named off the groups, allowing the kids to line up behind their appointed leader. Max stood beside you, glancing at each camper then up at you. His lips curled into a knowing frown. "Lemme guess," he said, "you made the groups, didn't you?"

"What gave it away?" You asked as you walked over to the last canoe. You stopped at the end of the canoe and firmly grasped it to keep it from overturning when the kids hopped in.

Max craned his neck and dully responded, "Well for one, David's not smart enough to split up Harrison and Nerris. Ever."

You shrugged. "He just overestimates how well you guys get along." Max grunted in agreement, reverting to his usual quiet self. You didn't doubt he was scheming something, but you hoped otherwise.

David's instructions on how to properly seat the campers played on repeat as you motioned for them to come close. Since there were more than two people, this'd be tricky, he told you. Awkwardly and stiffly, Neil shuffled to the front and sat at the bow. Wearing an annoyed scowl, Max begrudgingly stepped into the canoe, but the look quickly vanished when the canoe rocked. Sheer panic flushed his features and he dropped into a crouch. He whipped around, staring at you like a deer in headlights.

"You're fine. I'm holding it down." You immediately reassured him. "It won't turn over."

"Y-Yeah. Whatever." He scoffed, appearing a bit more pale than before. He plopped down behind Neil, clutching the sides as if to help keep the canoe from flipping.

"Alright Nurf, you're up." You said, nodding at the canoe.

The boy paused before saying, "I'll have you know, I'm not the best swimmer. So I'd appreciate it if I were provided with the proper floatation equipment."

"I second that." Came a timid chime from Neil.

"I wouldn't mind that either." Max mumbled as he tried slouching.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any life vests or floaties because this camp is underfunded." You sighed, "So you'll have to make do with what we've got: oars and your will to survive. Just listen to me and you'll be fine."

Nurf grumbled under his breath, but got into the canoe. It teetered on the surface, causing the boy to try and squeeze himself into a small ball. You began to utter words of encouragement like you had with Max, but Clementine swooped in and beat you to the punch. She dropped to a knee, patted his back, and said, "It's okay Nurf. We won't tip over as long as we work together. And even if we do tip over, Pam will help you."

The boy gave her a nod. "Thank you for that Lola." Nurf twisted his torso to face you and commented, "You did a great job Pam." You arched a brow, but uttered a confused 'You're welcome?' as the canoe stopped rocking.

Once they were all settled, you untied the canoe from the dock and carefully slipped into the seat at the stern. You wiggled a bit until you were comfortable. Small ripples stretched across the water. A peaceful sight you wished wouldn't end, yet a troublesome void in your stomach warned of the inevitable misadventure that would come with this canoe trip. You turned to your coworkers, expecting to receive further instructions.

Oh, if only. If only.

Ered was lax like always. She smiled and nodded while Dolph rambled about something. Nerris seemed to be chanting a spell over the canoe. Her eyes were closed tight, her hand reached for the sky, and her lips moved rapidly. David could only stand by, awkwardly waiting for her to finish her nerdy incantation so he could usher her into the canoe.

Harrison was unfazed by Nikki's rowdiness. She hopped and squirmed in her seat, causing it to rock. Preston urged for the teal haired wild child to 'stop shaking the boat' of which Gwen agreed as she slowly concocted a way to get in without tipping it over. Space Kid just faced forward. Oddly quiet today for some reason, you noted.

"You know," Max chirped from the front, "I'm suddenly not mad that Nikki isn't with us."

Finally, Nerris finished her spell and jumped into the canoe, allowing David to get in after her. Gwen eventually took her mantle and clutched the oar she had. Harrison and Space Kid had their own oars to help even out the work. Nurf and Neil wielded the spare oars of your vessel.

"Alright everyone!" David yelled, "We're going for a relaxing trip around the lake. Gwen, Pam, you guys follow me. Don't be afraid to take in all the wonderful scenery we pass by."

It took some coordination you didn't believe anyone had, but the trip started with minimal effort.

Even from the back, you could hear David enthusiastically explaining the history of the forest and the lake itself. Gwen kept a straight face as Space Kid began to whisper about his dream about going to the moon soon. Since your group was the furthest, you couldn't make out half of what David was saying, so the kids took it upon themselves to entertain each other.

"I spy with my little eye something.......green!" Nurf stated, making his choice obvious by nervously flitting between the surround forest and the other kids.

Neil heaved, "Uhhhh.......the trees?"

"Damn it. I thought I picked a good one." Nurf huffed, stabbing the water violently with his oar to let out his frustrations. "Neil is too good at this."

"It's not like there's much to chose from." Clementine added as she gazed at the sky. She hummed, deliberating over her choice before she said, "I spy with my little eye something.......blue."

"The lake?" Nurf guessed with a shrug.

"Nope"

"The sky?" Neil wheezed as he continued to paddle.

"Uh uh."

"What other blue things are there?" Neil complained.

"Plenty of blue all around us." You hinted. "Sometimes on us."

"Ooooooooooh. Max's sweater!" Nurf proudly stated, earning a chuckle from you and a nod of approval from Clementine.

A third of the way around the lake, you realized something was off. Almost like you forgot something. The acute David sense is tingling. Brows furrowed, you cautiously peered around Gwen's group and scanned David's. You ordered Neil and Nurf to stop rowing for a moment and waited for David to pull ahead.

"What's the damn hold up Pam?" Max whined.

'One, two, three.......' Your soft palm found its way to your forehead. A tiny slap echoed, catching the rest of your group's attention. They all shared the same bewildered look until you explained, "We fucking forgot Scotty. He's supposed to be with David."

Not a second later, Max broke out into hysterical laughter. One long, dreary exhale later, you told Neil and Nurf to start rowing again over Max's howling. It turned a few heads, but you flashed a faux smile to ward off worry.

"Is it really that funny Max?" Neil peered over his shoulder at the hunched over boy behind him.

He wiped a tear from his eye and answered, "Fuckin' HILARIOUS Neil." Max's laughter died down after a while, but not soon enough. A glimpse of the doom and gloom which hung over the Wood Scouts portion of the woods came into view. The watchtowers were devoid of movement, but it didn't put any of you at ease. One shared look between everyone increased the tempo of the rowing. So much for a leisurely pace.

In a rare show of camaraderie, the campers went dead silent as you all tried slinking past the lion's den without stirring the damn Wood Scouts. Nothing but heavy breathing and frantic paddling could be heard. No one stopped until Camp Campbell was within grasp. It felt as though an ambush were coming, any minute now.

Any minute now.

But surprisingly, nothing happened.

"Wow. That went way better than I thought it would." Neil admitted, earning collective nods from the rest of your group. "Maybe they finally fu--"

That dumb, nasally, mocking chuckling pierced the air. Then the low rumbling of a motor behind you struck fear in the hearts of the campers.

Neil grimaced as Nurf growled something along the lines of jinxing it. Max glared at the trio of Wood Scouts quickly gaining on your canoe. "Not these losers again." He waved his arms. "Faster assholes!"

"Don't let them get away!" Pikeman screeched.

Desperation filled strokes sent your canoe flying on the water. The distance between your group and Gwen's vanished in the blink of an eye. You moved past her so fast, you barely caught the quarreling between the campers on her canoe. From your peripheral, Nikki and Harrison were fighting over the middle oar. Wild child Nikki did her damnedest to wrestle it out of Harrison's gloved hands, but he simply wouldn't let go.

"Nikki! Harrison! God damn it, knock it off!" Came Gwen's warbling yelp. "You're gunna--" A loud crack followed by a splash and a gasp was enough to make you falter. Nikki held the oar over her head wearing a victorious grin while Harrison scowled up at her. "Space Kid!" Gwen leaned over the side, searching for any sign of him.

Preston peered over as well, but quickly yelled, "Alas, Space Kid has made a noble sacrifice! We should take advantage of his selflessness and escape!"

Before Gwen could scold him, Harrison jumped up and tried snatching the oar out of Nikki's hands. She ducked, maneuvered out of the way, and growled, holding the oar like a bat. Harrison crashed into Preston, sending the Theatre geek overboard too. When he resurfaced, he coughed and flailed about, struggling to stay afloat.

Knowing it had already spiraled out of control, you handed the oar to Clementine and stated aloud, "Turn this canoe around and hold off the Wood Scouts until I get Preston and Space Kid back in the canoe."

"Are you shitting me? You want us to do what?" Max threw his arms up in disbelief. You opened your mouth to tack a detail on that would most definitely win them over, but Harrison's shrill cry cut you off.

Nikki raised the oar to give Harrison a good smack, but she wavered when the canoe teetered. "That's it!" Gwen barked as she stood up and easily wrenched the oar out of Nikki's hands. "Both of you need to get a grip! I--" The canoe rocked from the improper weight balance and flipped over, sending the last three inhabitants into the drink.

"Let me rephrase that," you sputtered, "Keep Pikeman's goons off our asses while I flip the canoe back and help everyone back in. Got it? Good." You stayed low, but crouched on the seat you were using moments earlier. "This is the one time I am condoning the use of violence. Be generous with it yeah?"

And with that, you dove into the shockingly cold water. The water was murky and probably not safe to be in without goggles, but you didn't exactly pack anything. Though their forms were blobby and difficult to see, you knew you were closing in on the capsized group. Once you had drawn close enough, you broke the surface for air and glided towards them.

Nikki seemed completely fine on her own, doggy paddling in circles to keep warm. The others were a different story. Preston bobbed over and under the surface, spitting out foul lake water before it got to his lungs. Harrison more or less did the same, but tried climbing onto the canoe to no avail. He slid off the side and plunged himself back in the water. Gwen wasn't doing too hot either. Her eyes were wide, anxiety attack currently raging on her shivering features. Space Kid was nowhere to be seen. To add a cherry atop this shit sundae, the roaring of a motor became ever present.

"IS THIS HOW I MEET MY END?" Preston dramatically wailed, splashing around even more to emphasize himself. "LIKE THE BEAUTIFUL TRAGEDY THAT IS TITANIC, MY HEART WILL GO ON!"

"Preston. Preston. Preston!" You shook him out of his thoughts before he began to monologue. You reached for his oar which floated an arm's length away and handed it to him. You then flipped him on his back, pushed his knees to the surface, and said, "Don't panic, just stay like this, even your breathing like your about to go on stage, and you'll be fine."

Thankfully, the oar supported his scrawny frame and kept him afloat with no effort. You guided his weightless body to the canoe and latched him to it by sticking the blade under its overturned shell. "Pam! You saved my life!" He sang as he hugged the buoyant piece of wood.

One down, two more to go.

Harrison was easier to comfort. You instructed him to do the same as Preston which he had issue doing. He managed to get out a thank you through his chattering teeth.

Now for Gwen.

"I can't do this anymore..." She whispered to herself as she floated aimlessly. "The pay is shit, the kids are fucking misfits, and none of my degrees help, but I can't go back home."

"Gwen!" You panted as you approached the shell shocked counselor. She still mumbled to herself about her parents, failure, and just letting herself drown to escape the pain. You cringed at her despair, but considered one thing that might snap her out of her crippling anxiety. The Wood Scouts would be there in a few fleeting moments. You had to act fast. Putting your acting skills to work, you matched Pikeman's pitch and cooed, "My dear Gwendolyn."

Her center sunk under the water and her head perked up. Disgust replaced the defeated look in her eyes. She glared at you, grunting, "I hate it when you do that."

"I know." You smirked, but it fell just as swiftly as it came. "Look, we have to get this canoe flipped right side up. But first, do you know where Space Kid went?"

She looked around before answering, "If he's not here, then he probably sunk to the bottom of the lake. His dumb suit might actually come in handy for once."

Nikki alerted you and Gwen of the Wood Scouts arrival with a chorus of barks. She then squinted at them before slowly submerging into the muddled lake. You gripped the overturned canoe and lifted yourself up, poking just above the edge. The silhouettes of the three Wood Scouts fell over you. Tiredly sighing, you glanced up, gaze meeting a face you could have gone without seeing again. Talk about being up shit's creek with no paddles much less a boat.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here boys." Taunting right out of the gate that damn Pikeman. "A few shipwrecked recruits and two beautiful mermaids." He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked.

If you could roll your eyes any harder, they'd burst from your sockets. Gwen's slow inhale and exhale almost made you giggle.

"It might be a tight fit since we are here to grab some fresh meat," he snapped, spurring Petrol and Snake into action, "but if you and Gwendolyn want a ride back to shore, that can be arranged." He extended his hand and waited.

"Right." You drummed your fingers against the wood and said, "We're going to have to turn you down on that one." God know what he'd do if you grabbed his hand. Probably never wash it again. The thought made you shudder.

"Is it because there's a crowd? Perhaps another time then? In a more private place late at night?" His henchmen snickered as they inched to the edge of their boat.

"You call that flirting? PITIFUL!" You instantly recognized Preston's shrill voice. "Aaron Burr had a better chance at Angelica Schuyler than you do with Pam or Gwen!" The insult flew miles over everyone's head. Pikeman didn't appear too enthused by Preston, but he shrugged and decided something was better than nothing.

"Get them." Was his two word demand.

Petrol dropped to his knees and reached for Preston. The boy shrieked as a meaty hand gripped his wrist. You pushed off the canoe and dove towards them with the hopes of catching his foot. Engaging in a game of tug-o-war with Preston as the rope was your one chance to save him from the Wood Scouts. Albeit being in the water against a muscular opponent on a boat, you refused to give up.

"LET GO!" Preston screeched, swatting Petrol's face like an angered cat. He craned his neck and screamed at you, "DON'T LET GO!"

Petrol glared at you, but wordlessly tightened his hold on Preston's arm. He tugged the poor boy's arm, nearly yanking you out of the lake with minimal effort. Your midsection smacked against the side of their boat and knocked the wind out of your lungs.

As you struggled to keep your hold, you saw Snake reaching for Harrison, but Gwen snatched the kid's collar and dragged him away.

"Shit." You grunted as you planted a foot on the boat to anchor yourself. Latching an arm around Preston's waist, you pushed off the side with all the strength you could muster. Right when you thought Preston's arm would tear like wet paper, an oar smashed against Petrol's face.

The crack from the collision was sickening, but quickly muffled since you and Preston were flung backwards, plunged back into the lake. Up was down and down was up as you both tumbled deeper. Through the steadily increasing disorientation, you felt water shoot up your nostrils and fill your mouth along with panic. It was cold, tasted like dirt. The second you stopped spinning, you darted for the surface with Preston under your arm.

A massive inhale of air resulted in a fit of watery coughs. Thankfully, Preston was well awake and breathing, panting for air, but breathing. You spat out the earthy aftertaste of the lake water that washed your mouth and stammered, "A-Are you okay Preston?"

He was too busy hacking up the water he swallowed as well, but gave you a weak nod. Receiving a somewhat favorable answer allowed you to look around and observe the chaos.

Engaged in a duel with a slightly bloodied Petrol, Nurf was swinging his oar like a baseball bat, meeting each one of Petrol's hits with his own. Max and Clem were squaring off against Snake and Pikeman. Neil was sitting with Harrison and talking with Gwen, who was still in the water, when he noticed you and Preston finally reemerged.

"Holy shit." He breathed as he watched you swim to the edge. You motioned for Gwen to help you lift Preston into the canoe while Neil began to ramble. "We almost didn't come back for you, but Lola talked us into it and Nurf can't say no to her. He's the one who broke Petrol's nose with the oar...."

Once Preston's limp body rolled into the safety of the canoe, you nudged Gwen's arm and pointed to the overturned one.

"We have to get it flipped back while they're distracted." You urged, "David said something about doing it from inside."

You swam to it, took a deep breath, and went under. The air trapped in the small pocket was damp and warm. The only illumination you had was provided by the muggy water beneath you. Needless to say, the tight area was dark as a mother fucker. It became noticeably harder to breathe, whether it was the limited air supply or dawning claustrophobia, you didn't care. Fortunately, Gwen popped up moments after you. She seemed bothered by the enclosed space as well, but she did her best to hide it.

"Okay, now what?" She asked, bobbing up and down.

You thought back to his presentation, wishing you'd been listening a little more closely. "We have to lift it straight up one at a time, if I remember right. Otherwise, the suction will keep it down or something." Your pruning fingers slipped around the seat hanging overhead. Gwen mirrored your movements as you continued, "Once we lift it, we toss it to the my right your left all in one swoop."

"Sounds easy." Gwen grunted as she positioned herself under comfortably. She signaled with a nod she was ready.

Tapping into your remaining stamina, you raised your end first. A rush of fresh air and sunlight made you shiver. The canoe became lighter as Gwen lifted her end. Her arms trembled a little. "On three." Gwen's eyes were closed. "One. Two. Three!"

With a wheeze, you both threw it to the side. Much to you delight, the canoe landed perfectly right side up, rocking gently in the water from the ripples lapping at its side.

"Wow. It actually fucking worked." Gwen stated sans thought. "I can't believe it."

You waded to the other side and gripped the slick edge of the canoe. "Get in, Gwen." You ordered sternly as you held it steady. She gave you a questionable look, but you shook your head, quietly replying, "Just get in. I'll look for Space Kid."

She sighed in defeat, but hoisted herself into the canoe anyway. Her brows furrowed while she wrung out her hair. "Wait. Where's Ni--"

Pikeman's girly shriek turned all heads. There she was, teeth clamped and paws wrapped around his ankle. A constant growl left her as she knocked the stuck up prick on his ass. Nikki didn't leave him a second to process what was happening. Moments later, the red haired Wood Scout vanished.

Both in an effort to retrieve Space Kid from the depths of Lake Lilac and watch Nikki tear Pikeman to shreds, you hastily dipped under the water and headed for the bottom. You peeked at the blobby forms of Nikki and Pikeman as you dove deeper. She still had his leg in her mouth. Violently, she jerked her head side to side, mimicking a bloodthirsty, starving shark trying to dismember its meal. He flailed around for a bit, tried shaking free, but to no avail.

Their forms blended into the background after a while. The bottom of the lake was approaching, and you were keeping an eye out for any sign of the boy. He couldn't have sunk too far from your initial dive point, so you shouldn't have to look far.

"Uhhh.....hello? Who is that?" Though muffled and slightly distorted, the voice reached your ears. You looked around and caught a glimpse of a gleam to your right. A small, blurred heap laid still, but stood out enough to make you investigate. Drifting closer elicited a gasp mingled with surprise and joy. "Pam! It's you!"

Space kid eagerly reached out at the same time you did. He spilled his recollections of spending the past few minutes resting on the lakebed. The force it took to lift him worried you since you were beginning to feel the familiar painful tingle in your lungs. You needed to haul ass.

Using Space Kid as a weight, you dug your feet into the muddy lake floor, wrapped your arms around him, crouched, and pushed off, propelling the two of you skyward. The tingle turned to burning, and you felt it spreading. Arms, lungs, chest, everything. Space Kid's cheering helped you ignore the startling doubt that crept into your thoughts once the boost wore off. His bulletproof fish bowl was far heavier than you anticipated, and for a moment, you wished Gwen had tagged along.

"Just keep swimming~ Just keep swimming~ What do we do, we swim swim~" Space Kid sang as he kicked his little legs and tilted his head side to side.

Diaphragm tightening, you changed kicking style briefly but switched back as you yearned to use your aching arms. You felt it climbing higher and higher until it was banging at your teeth. You weren't sure how much longer you could your breath or how much oxygen Space Kid had left. If his incessant crowing was any indication, he had nothing to stress about.

You closed your eyes, prayed for a miracle, and kept thrashing your legs in hopes of breaking the surface at any moment. Physically, you weren't drowning yet. Mentally was a different story. You didn't open your eyes in fear that you'd see you made no progress. It sure as hell didn't feel like you had. How the hell do you feel claustrophobic in OPEN water? And drowning? That's how you were going to bow out? Death had been such a prominent, reoccurring thought it felt more like a memory than anything. The possibilities plagued your mind like looping tracks. Tracked down and shot. Tracked down and stabbed. Tracked down and burned. Tracked down and hung. They started the same, ended the same, and lasted forever, never truly changing despite the years that ticked on.

You'd been so engulfed in thought, you failed to notice that you stopped kicking at all.

In fact, you started to sink when Space Kid stopped chanting his mantra.

"Just keep- Oh! What's that?" He yelled while he pointed up at a figure speedily advancing towards you.

'Will they find us? What will they do? Why won't they just--' The snowballing dread crumbled away with the suffocating darkness when a hand gripped your bicep and snapped you back into reality.

"It's Lola. Hey Lola!" Space Kid greeted with a wave before returning to his little song and dance.

You looked up and saw hazel irises, causing relief to instantly quell your outrageous inner ramblings. They crawled back to their alcoves and laid in wait to strike again.

She looked panicked, more than you were. Her grip was vice like, refusing to let go until you nodded. You gestured to Space Kid, hoping she'd interpret what you meant quickly because you were out of time. Any second, you would expel a torrent of bubbles and swallow lethal amounts of nasty lake water.

Clementine snatched one of Space Kid's arms and began to swim as fast as she could. With her help, he was a lot lighter. She almost lifted him out of your arms her pace was so quick.

Then you coughed.

And out came the breath you held for god knows how long.

You slapped your now free hand over your mouth to seal what little air you had from being stolen. Unfortunately, you couldn't hold it in at all and wheezed it out. You twitched, trying to fight the inevitable gulp of water that might kill you.

At some point, your hold on Space kid weakened enough that Clementine hurtled him like a discus above the both of you. He floundered before he reorientated himself and swam to the surface. You were close, you saw him float for a few seconds then get plucked from the water completely. All you had to do was stay awake.

Thankfully, you managed to achieve that with Clementine's help. A mix of filthy lake water and pristine air made you hack and croak and pant and spit. Arms slipped under your own and lifted you out of the damn water like a rag doll. Every breath in resulted in water being coughed out. When you tried to sit up, a hand forced you back down. Another hand touched your jaw, a gentle but firm touch. It slid down, seemingly searching for something. Regardless of how the owner of the hand was handling you, you didn't like the intrusive contact and swatted the hand away. Or attempted to while squirming backwards. All you wanted was a little space to do something you couldn't do a few seconds earlier: breathe.

"I don't think she's in danger anymore....." You heard Clementine whisper.

"I have to check her pulse." It sounded like David. You weren't sure.

"But she's moving." Came her defiant reply.

"It could be spasms. If there's no pulse, I'll have to perform CPR."

Your eyes widened, startling Clementine and David. You didn't know what the consequences of performing CPR on a conscious person would be, and you certainly didn't want to find out. Water dribbled from your lips as you crawled backwards and used your leg to create distance between you and David. The fog which clouded your mind dissipated, allowing you to speak.

"I'm.....fine." You coughed, one hand outstretched and waving dismissively. The other rested on your chest, pressing down to settle your heart.

"Fine? Like fucking hell you are!" Gwen seethed from behind you. She glared straight through you and said, "You ALMOST drowned." Her words echoed loud and clear over the lake, highlighting the silence the campers maintained.

Gwen would have continued to stare you down had you not looked away and examined your surroundings. "The Wood Scouts are gone." You huffed, noting their absence. "They didn't get anyone did they?" You asked while counting and skimming the camper's faces.

"Don't change the subject Pam." Gwen scolded. "You--"

"--should probably get checked up on as soon as possible." David jumped into the conversation. "So let's head back to the campgrounds." He flashed a concerned frown and successfully got Gwen to back down. The anxious woman turned her attention to the dual piers and ordered for the campers to start moving.

You needed to thank him for saving you from her wrath later.

The other two canoes treaded the water hastily, leaving you, David, and Clementine in the dust. She was shaken. You saw it, however briefly, before it fleeted under David's watchful eye.

"At this rate...." You slowly muttered, "it'll be dark when we get back to shore."

David paused, refraining from responding only to give in and admit, "I want to give her some space." Gwen and the campers made it back without a hitch. The three of you watched as the campers scurried away while Gwen stiffly tied the canoes down. "She seems a little tense."

"It's not nice to talk about someone when they aren't there." You chided, trying to lighten the gloomy mood. It didn't stick, so you sighed and added, "Gwen's always a bundle of high strung nerves, but you're right."

"I want to ask her what's wrong, but I don't think she'll tell me."

You raised a brow. "Really?"

David nodded. "I was wondering if you could find out what's got her so.....anxious."

"I almost drowned like five minutes ago and you're already asking favors from me? Nice." The red head whirled around, face flushed as he stuttered nonsense. Even Clementine giggled, breaking out of her saddened state.

'Looks like that one landed.' You smiled. "David, relax. I'm just teasing."

"O-Oh. Heh, right. Just teasing." He awkwardly mumbled.

"I owe you one for giving me a get-out-of-jail free card with her." You promised. "It probably won't be pretty, but I'll do my best."

David thanked you for agreeing to help before he questioned you about how you were feeling. Telling a combo of the truth and a lie to ease his mind, you were glad he eventually quieted down.

If you were going to get any coherent answers from Gwen after she would berate you for your carelessness, then you needed to come up with a game plan. Fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Animal Crossing came out and ruined my life.


	3. Safe to Talk

Whether they were tired from the brawl with the Wood Scouts or sensed the thick tension between you and Gwen, the campers dispersed faster than roaches scuttling for cover after the lights have been turned on. The unhappy counselor stood at the end of the pier, waiting for you to arrive so she could chew you out some more and ensure you wouldn't die in your sleep from the little water you inhaled. Her fingers drummed against her hip.

Hesitation fluttered in your chest as you reached the pier. Not to gracefully, David crawled out of the canoe and tied it to the post before he hastily jumped out to offer you a hand. He slid an arm around your waist and draped your arm around his neck, supporting your frame without much effort.

It was harder to move than you realized. Everything burned, ached even, especially your arms. Your legs felt like they weighed a ton. You pressed a hand to your stomach and shuffled along while David practically carried you. Clem trailed behind the two of you, hands raised to catch you should you fall. Gwen sauntered forth a few steps ahead of you, slowly making her way across the camp grounds. She paused and turned to face you.

"I'm gunna go grab the first aid kit from the cabin." Gwen said dryly. She looked at you then at David and added, "Take her to the Mess Hall. I'll be there in a minute." With that, Gwen spun on her heel and bee lined for the counselor's cabin.

You watched her for a moment until David pulled you out of your trance. "Come on Pam. Lola, could you grab the door please?" Clem jogged ahead and held the door open while you made your way over.

The trek was short, but draining. Sure your destination was a couple of yards away. Didn't mean you weren't exhausted by the time David lifted you onto one of the tables exerting the utmost care.

"Thanks." You grunted.

He smiled and nodded, "No problem. I'm going to check up on everyone else and see how they're doing." He turned his attention to Clem and chirped, "Let's give your mom some space, alright Lola?"

She gave him a wary stare before casting an uncertain look at you. Not wanting her to panic over Gwen's diagnosis, you waved her off, assuring her you'd be fine. David placed a hand on Clementine's shoulder and ushered her out, giving her optimistic reassurances the whole way out. Just like that, you were alone.

A loud clanging noise startled you, causing you to whirl around albeit sluggish as hell. The Quartermaster dipped his hook-turned-spoon hand into the vat full of some mysterious liquid and brought it to his lips. He slurped it, smacked his lips, and muttered something about needing more onion flakes. As if he possessed a sixth sense, he glanced up and searched the Mess Hall. He squinted and eyed you the best he could with one eye, silently daring you to say something.

'Just leave the strange man be.' You whispered in your mind as you opted for silence and slowly faced forward again. The Quartermaster was always doing his own thing, no need to fret.

The wait lasted longer than you liked. Your legs dangled over the edge, so out of boredom, you swung them back and forth. Now all you had to do was wait. Like a toddler waiting for their doctor's checkup. Gwen probably wouldn't give you a lollipop afterwards though. No, you'd probably get an irritated berating along with some unnecessary roughness in how she handled you.

Loud creaking made you look up. In walked Gwen, unimpressed and trudging along. She held the cheap plastic kit with a generous amount of scratches, cracks, and chipped pieces. It was a miracle it hadn't fallen apart by now.

"You probably didn't need the whole thing." You commented as she set the case on the table and opened it.

Bandages, tubes of creams, and other tools shifted out of the way while Gwen searched for something. "Probably not," she sighed, "but I didn't know what I was dealing with and I was too tired to cherry pick." She continued to rummage through the supplies until she fished out a stethoscope and some alcohol wipes. You didn't miss how stiffly she moved.

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you quietly asked, "None of the kids got hurt right?"

A smirk. "No, but the same can't be said about Wood Scouts." She ripped open a wipe and rubbed the earpieces. "Nurf knocked out a few of Petrol's teeth and probably broke his nose. He went after Snake once the little bastard pushed Max and Lola into the lake."

"We won't see them for a while." You chuckled softly then groaned from the dull, throbbing pain afflicting your back. You held your breath and said, "Hopefully never again."

Gwen didn't immediately reply, leaving an awkward hanging silence. She focused on your back as she put the eartips in and lifted the back of your shirt. The cold metal brushed against your skin, sending shivers through your body. With the diaphragm nestled on your back, Gwen instructed, "Take a deep breath, then exhale."

You did as told, finding it a little difficult.

After a few breathes, she pulled the scope away. She set the stethoscope down and said, "Well, good news and bad news. Bad news is you got water in your lungs. Good news is you don't have too much water in your lungs. You can cough all of it out."

"You want me to cough it out?"

"Well it's that or we take you to the hospital and get your lungs pumped. Your choice." She hummed as she plucked a small bowl out of the cupboard and walked back over to you. "I'll cough it out." "Thought so."

Gwen swiftly, but thoroughly explained what you had to do and handed you the bowl. She made sure you did it correctly a few times before backing off and watching you hack up water every other attempt. You could tell it was the lake water from the taste of dirt which lingered momentarily after you spat into the bowl. Another twenty minutes rolled by when you stopped hacking up the lake water. By the end, you were standing up and hunched over the bowl as the last bit of dribble fell from your lips. You wiped the tears that formed from you gagging a few times away and gave Gwen a nod. She pushed off the wall she leaned on and scooped up the scope. Back straightened up, you pulled your shirt up and took a deep breath. After a few moments, she stepped back.

"You got it all out." Gwen dropped the stethoscope into the box. "Congratulations." She slammed the case shut. "I'll go drop this back off. Meet me at the lake." She didn't wait for you to speak, and just strutted out.

You thought you'd missed your chance to find out what was on her mind, so you sighed in relief. Grabbing the bowl full of murky water and spit, you headed for the sink to dump out the disgusting concoction. Right when you tilted the white plastic bowl, a hook caught your wrist and kept it in place. QM peered over your shoulder, analyzing the liquid with vigor.

"Don't waste that." He mumbled, shooting you a dark glare. He motioned for you to hand him the bowl. "Give it here."

Before you could protest, he snatched it out of your hands and stalked over to the same cupboard Gwen pulled the bowl out of. You gawked at the man as he whisked out a glass jar and proceeded to pour the water into the jar, taking extra precaution not to spill a drop. Once he got all of it in the container, he quickly screwed the bronze lid on and shook it, causing a frothy layer of bubbles to form over the surface. Appalled, you turned away and silently gagged.

"Mmmm.......sweet nectar...." He whispered to the jar as he pressed it to his face. The Quartermaster carefully set the jar down and shoved you out of the Mess Hall. "Go on, scram."

Resembling a statue, you froze on the spot and stared at your hands. A range of emotions flowed through you, kept you from moving on like nothing happened.

'What the hell was.....' Your thoughts trailed off as you peeked at the deep green doors.

"Pam!" Called Gwen from the lakeshore. "Get your ass over here." She waved to you, prompting you to hustle. Unwillingly, you snapped out of your daze and made your way to Gwen, doing your best not to stumble and fall flat on your face. Upon arriving, she rested a hand on her hip and said, "David restricted you from doing anything else today. He wanted you to take it easy."

You shrugged and picked up some oars, storing the uncomfortable moment you shared with the Quartermaster in the back of your head. "I'm not gonna let you put all this away by yourself. Besides, it was just a little water." You readjusted the small bundle and tacked on, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Gwen scoffed as she pulled the canoe out of the water. "He's gonna throw a fit if he sees you." The wood screeched from the friction.

"He won't." You replied, observing her as she struggled to drag the canoe ashore. "You're damaging the bottom of the canoe."

"You know, quite frankly, I don't give a damn anymore." Gwen huffed angrily, but it wasn't directed at you. She tossed the canoe down and kicked the hunk of wood out of frustration. "God damn it." She hissed, fists clenched.

Spotting an opening to crowbar any hidden feelings she concealed, you put your craft to work. "Uh, Gwen......." You waited till she glanced at you, "Is something wrong?"

"Plenty." She growled, prodding the canoe with her boot.

"Like what?" You widened your eyes and put your hands up, waving them to emphasize you didn't mean to pry. "I mean, if you're comfortable sharing that with me. If not, it's fine." You put the bundle down and tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder.

Gwen deeply exhaled and closed her eyes. Her head drooped as she raked her fingers through her two toned hair. "Pam...." Her eyes scanned the area for any familiar silhouettes loitering around. Finding none, she continued lowly, "I'll tell you later tonight. You know how everyone at this camp hears everything."

"Of course. Of course." You repeated, nodding in complete understanding. The attentive nature of the campers was a unique characteristic you didn't see in children often. "We should get these damn canoes in the shed before David finds us."

Gwen agreed and followed your lead. You gave her a quick run through on how to pick up a canoe and set it down, but in the end, the two of you decided to put them back one at a time. Not being able to see where you were going was a bitch, but your muddy footprints gave a perfectly visible trail to stick by.

Well, you and Gwen managed to put one away and get a third of the way to the shed with the second one when you bumped into something.

"Ooof." You wheezed, knocking your head up against the floor of the canoe.

"What's the matter? Why'd you stop so suddenly?" Gwen asked.

Figuring you had bumped into a tree trunk, you looked down at its base and felt your heart sink. About shoulder width apart stood a pair of unmistakable boots. You pursed your lips together and raised the canoe over your head to give you a clear view. There, in your path, stood David. He wore a disapproving frown. "I thought I told you she wasn't allowed to do anything else today Gwen." He remarked, visibly disappointed.

"David-" Gwen stopped herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You can't expect me to do all of this by myself. She said she was fine and wanted to help."

"I wasn't going to let you do this alone. I was just dealing with the kids first. But that doesn't mean Pam should be up and lifting things after everything today." The red head gripped the canoe and pulled it out of your grasp rather easily. He set it down and put both hands on his hips, staring the two of you down.

"For God's sake, who knows how long that would have taken." Gwen shot back, "I just wanted to get this shit over with like she did."

"Which is perfectly fine. Taking charge shows you have what it takes to run the camp someday, but for the foreseeable future, I'm the main counselor." David smiled at Gwen. "And while I'm open to suggestions, this is something I'm putting my foot down on. Pam is done for the day."

"Um, I'm right here. Hello." You interjected, both verbally and physically. "I'll speak for myself--"

"I'll walk you back to the cabin." David cut you off wearing a bright grin.

He put a hand on your back and guided you away from the scene, leaving a seething Gwen to vent her frustrations on the canoe.

The amount of babying you were subjected to was mounting up and irking you. Jaw set tight, you rushed forward and shot him a tired look. "David, that wasn't necessary. I'm perfectly fine."

"Did Gwen tell you anything yet?"

You raised a brow at his clumsy dodge. "No, not yet. She did want to talk later though." You squinted. "Is that the reason you dragged me off?"

Embarrassed, David looked away and stammered, "W-Well, not entirely. I do want you to get some rest. It's been a pretty rough day that didn't go how I planned at all."

The walk to the cabin wasn't nearly an ounce of grueling as getting to the Mess Hall was. The aching that roared in every fiber of your being stooped to a sparse whisper. David strolled by your side, keeping with your not as quick pace. Thanks to his long legs he moved faster than you did. A single stride of his equated to about two and a half of yours. The top of your head barely reached the bottom of his ear. Why that suddenly occurred to you, you didn't know.

"Get some rest." He chastised with a pointed finger. He shook it for dramatic effect and said, "I mean it Pam. Don't do anything else today. Gwen and I can handle this."

The door swung open, allowing you to enter. David stood in the doorway, watching for a moment. Taking that as your cue to speak, you crossed your arms over your chest and sighed, "Alright, alright. I know I'm a senior citizen that almost drowned and all, but you don't have baby me." You slunk over to the door to your room. "Have fun putting canoes away though, buddy."

The door shut, and yet again, you were alone.

Collapsing over your bed was the first thing in order. Reveling in the serenity that your room protected felt like paradise on Earth. Blasting some tunes also helped you relax. After the clusterfuck that was the afternoon canoe trip, you needed a break. Too lazy to get changed, you settled for kicking off your shoes and wrapped the covers around you by rolling to one side. The cacoon of cheap cotton warmed up quickly, lulling you into dreamland faster than you'd like to admit. Your lashes fluttered and the weight of your eyelids became too much to bear. Then, as always without fail, you ruined your newfound peace.

'Maybe it's not the best idea to sleep after almost drowning.' You panicked for a few seconds before the comfortable self-swaddle and more pressing issues began to swarm.

Like what the hell was the deal with the Quartermaster? Generally, he was a weird guy and you had grown accustomed to that, but the lake spit in a jar debacle caught you off guard. What exactly did the guy expect to get out of saving it? What would he do with it? He wouldn't drink it, would he? Max did mention that he was a pervert. You had to shake an explanation out of him, but when you did get it, you absolutely believed him. Max may have been a trickster, one hell of a trickster at that, but if he was acting, you'd be able to tell. The encounter on Spooky Island shook Max to the core. Perhaps traumatized him from the way he spoke of it. Nikki and Neil backed his extremely detailed story, adding even more credibility to the tale. Thankfully, he didn't do anything to them, but it was concerning enough that the Quartermaster held orgies on camp grounds. You brought it up to David, multiple times even. He was the head bitch in charge, he would be able to fire him. At first, David brushed off the story, calling it 'Max's overreactive imagination', but you insisted it was the truth. You'd seen more diabolical events firsthand. You knew the effects those kinds of experiences left and while Max's case wasn't nearly as bad as some cases you'd seen before, it didn't make his any less important.

" _What matters is that he's safe and not continuously exposed to this!" You argued as you followed behind David one night. "The Quartermaster didn't hurt him, but we can't let him stay after that."_

_Pale beams of moonlight illuminated the cabin as you both approached. A single glance upwards usually gifted you a breathtaking sight. But not this night. Tonight, the darkness blanketed the sky and the stars were nowhere to be seen. Odd since the stars always shone brightly in such an isolated place. Lonely and dim was the moon as it made it's hourly journey along the heavens above without a single anomaly to cross it. There was no breeze, no noise. Not a chirp from a cricket, nor a hoot from an owl. It was desolate or felt like it._

_"David? Are you even listening to me?"_

_David stopped short of the cabin door, hand gripping the knob softly. He sighed before he turned to you and quietly stated, "Pam, I know what Max said is troubling, but we can't just fire QM on assumptions alone. We're already low on staff and I can't just fire him." He opened the door and gestured for you to enter first. "He's been here since I was a camper. Campbell would kill me if--"_

_"But this isn't about you or Campbell." You sternly refuted, arms crossed. You refrained from hurling insults about the conman in hopes David would listen closely. "This is about the possible threat the Quartermaster might be. And if it's evidence you want, why don't we take a little trip to Spooky Island and comb the area. If what Max said is true, and there were multiple witnesses, then we'll find what we need to sack him right?"_

_The counselor's cabin may have been warm and inviting mere seconds before, but it switched to something colder, tense._

_David's face scrunched up, as he was exhausted about hearing this for several days in a row. "Listen, Pam, I'll talk to the Quartermaster about it tomorrow morning. I'm sure he's a trustworthy guy. I've known him since I was a kid."_

_It wasn't often you got into verbal fights with the other two counselors, especially NOT David, but this was something you refused to budge on. The Quartermaster acted inappropriately on camp grounds and risked the safety of the campers. He SHOULD NOT stay._

_You opened your mouth to raise qualms, but something sprung to the forefront of your mind. Side to side, you looked around, searching for something. It was dark, you hadn't turned the lights on when you entered. Gwen was nowhere to be found, probably asleep from the exhausting day. You walked backwards to flip the light switch so you could see David while speaking to him. When you caressed the wall in search of it, you found nothing. Irked, you turned and continued to pat the wall down, trying to feel the switch as you squinted through the darkness._

_"What are you doing (Name)?" Came his ever gentle voice._

_"I'm just gunna--"_

_You froze._

_'Wait.' Your lips and mouth ran drier than the hottest desert in the Middle East. You licked your lips, bottom jaw quivering as you attempted to calm your pounding heart. Maybe you didn't hear him right. There was no way he knew that. You shuffled closer to the wall, seeking asylum from the situation._

_"W-What d-did you say? I-I didn't c-catch th-that." You stuttered out like a bumbling idiot caught red handed in a web of lies._

_David suddenly loomed over you. His hands gripped your shoulders tightly like he was trying to crush grapes into mush. A pang of confusion and fear shot through you as you tried wiggling out of his grip. It only grew stronger, sending painful waves up and down your arms from the point of constriction. Your heart pounded faster and faster. His face lowered to yours, stayed separated by a mere inch. His hot breath fanned your face, reeking of poison, rotting food scraps, and decaying teeth._

_"I know." He growled out, voice no longer holding the sweet, friendly tone it always did. It belonged to the Quartermaster._

_Before you could even attempt to fight, David shoved you into the wall behind you. Your back slammed into the wood which shattered on impact. Grimacing, you waited to hit the ground among the rubble, but it never happened. The floor ceased to exist, sending you plummeting into the inky depths to nowhere. Your stomach lurched as your chest tightened, your lungs had no air. You saw David's figure shrinking as he peered through the giant hole in the wall down at your descent. The night sky which lacked an endless sea of stars melded with the nonexistent ground. You flew, fell, floated- WHICHEVER- further and further until David and the cabin vanished from sight._

Your eyes snapped open. Accompanied with a deep inhale, you slapped a frigid hand to your chest. Your heart raced, made you chest ache. The headset with Secret by The Pierces blared in a tangle of your hair. Sleep, you must have fallen asleep at some point and stayed knocked out for a while. Dried drool caked onto the curve of the pillow and your lip. Craning your neck, you saw that it had grown dark.

Practically panting as you fought to catch your breath, the sound of footsteps echoing in the hall captured your interest. Firm knocking made you flinch as Gwen shouted, "Pam, you in there? Don't tell me you're sleeping."

"Nah," you groaned as you pushed yourself up, "I'm up. Totally wide awake."

A hoarse voice that slurred ever so slightly, nice. Rubbing the grogginess from your sticky eyelids, you swiftly worked the headset out of your hair tendrils before heading for the door. You scraped the crusted drool from the sides of your lips as you opened it. There stood Gwen, foot impatiently tapping a rapid beat that matched your calming heart. She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and a nervous glint in her eye. She straightened her posture once you raised a brow.

"David's gone, so it's safe to talk." Were the first words out of her mouth. "We'll talk in my room though. Lord knows what would happen if Max somehow overhears this." She grabbed your bicep and tugged you along.

"Wait, where did David go?"

"On a date with Bonquisha remember? He'll probably be gone all night, so I'll do the night rounds before we go to bed."

"Right."

By then, she had shut the door, locked it, and rested her forehead against the cool wood. She sighed, heaved it really, and balled a fist. You thought she was going to punch the door, but she tapped it gently twice. She let her fist slide down the door, muttering incoherent curses under her breath. The memory of your very recent nightmare surged to life. While her back was still turned to you, you discreetly pinched yourself to ensure you weren't locked in another bizarre night terror.

"Damn it." She huffed to herself. "You can do this......"

'Do what?' You questioned in your mind as you shifted your weight from one leg to another, doing your best to disguise your discomfort.

"Look, I'm just going to-......just gonna say it." She shuddered, finally swiveling on her heel to face you.

Gwen's eyes met yours, and for once, you noticed details that eluded you. Her eyes were sunken yet swollen, a combination of crying and lack of sleep. You could tell she cried from the faint tear tracks and red hue that encompassed her deep purple irises, making them pop even more than they did before. Her nose was red, the tip was at least. Wadded up tissues crowded the nightstand and filled the trash can to the brim, three recently used tissues sat at the base. The bags under her eyes also served as evidence she hadn't been sleeping well.

'How long has she been crying?'

"I......uhhh....I've been thinking a lot lately. It's been stressing me the fuck out honestly." She said, shoulders drooping. "Especially after today."

"What's wrong?" You asked as reserved as you could manage.

"I can't keep doing this shit anymore. I can't. The longer I stay here, the more I freak out about what I'm doing." She confessed abruptly. Her gaze focused on her shoes. "I want to quit, but I have nowhere else to go and I can't let you and David down like this."

Instantaneously, your guard dropped. "Gwen....." The tears began to well in her eyes again as she began to shake. She fought to keep the sobs in, but cracked and dropped to her knees. Well, she would have had you not lunged forward and caught her. She buried her face into your shoulder and let it all out. The gross sobbing, snot, waterworks, everything. She weakly wrapped her arms around you as she shakily inhaled.

"Three useless degrees. Four soon. Why did I fucking major in liberal arts?" She wailed albeit muffled into your shoulder.

"There, there." You hushed her as you guided her to her bed. You both sat on the edge with her still desperately clinging to you. "You'll be okay. It's going to be fine."

"H-How? If I quit, then I'll have to move back in with my parents, but this place is driving me insane." She wheezed, glaring at her trembling hands.

"Have you tried looking around town for something else? What about that diner--"

"There are no job openings for miles around here. The only chance I have is in the city, but there's no way to find anything with all the shitty shenanigans the kids get into." She babbled. "Besides, we don't get paid for vacation because Campbell is a fucking crook."

You bit your lower lip, working mental gymnastics for a solution. The funds you had left to use was a pathetic amount that would have to be precisely distributed to make it last for the rest of the summer. If only there was something you could-

'That's it.' You realized.

"I just remembered something." Gwen hummed, signaling for you to continue. "When we were getting the canoes out this morning, I saw a safe in the back of the shed. Knowing Campbell...."

"......there's probably hundreds of dollars in there." She finished the thought for you.

The two of you stared at each other for a moment before you concluded, "It should be enough to cover your vacation days while you go job hunting and hire a new counselor."

"But what if it's empty?" She sighed, reaching for the tissue box. You handed it to her. "Then what?"

"Then we blackmail Campbell." She gave you a skeptical frown as she lifted a tissues to her nose and blew. "Max told me about the shit he saw in Campbell's mansion on Spooky Island. If the safe is empty, we go over there, take a few pictures, and use them to get some extra cash for the camp."

Gwen made a noise. She definitely didn't like the idea of snooping around Spooky Island, but there wasn't much else to choose from. "I guess so."

"Hey, look at me." She reluctantly peered up at you. "I know you're feeling lost right now, but that's normal. I....remember being in the exact same place you were a few years ago and it felt like the end of the world. Like there was nowhere to go, but there is. There always is. You've got ambition, you want more than what you've got. Don't let go of that. As long as you keep moving forward, you'll find your way. I promise."

You waited for a response, but the starstruck glaze over her eyes indicated you'd be waiting for a bit. When she did snap out of her amazed stupor, she latched onto you again, hugging you tightly. After a long silence, she pulled away, wiping the last of her tears away.

"If you want to check for the money, you'll have to get up early in the morning so no one sees you. David took the keys to the shed with him too." You stated as you stood up. "I've been resting all day. I'll go do a couple of rounds and wait for David to get back. I'll get the keys away from him and leave them under the couch cushions, got it?"

"Sounds like a plan." Gwen replied in a stuffy tone. She watched you grin and turn to leave when she chirped, "W-Wait!"

Your hand hovered over the knob. "Yeah?"

"Please don't tell David about this." She whispered from her roost. "He'll be heartbroken if he finds out I'm trying to get out of here."

Holding the best poker face you could, you pressed your lips together in a tense smile and nodded. "Of course. I won't say a word to him."

She stared into your (e/c) orbs, searching for a shred of evidence you were fibbing. When she couldn't find a trace, she nodded in approval and looked at ease for once in the time you'd known her. "Thank you Pam." She muttered as she set her head against the pillow.

"Yeah, no problem." You breathed as you flipped the lights off and left the room.

The door croaked and crooned in a constant stream of noise until it finally clicked shut. Teeth grinding against each other, you leaned against the wall on your left and sighed. You shook your head, mentally chiding yourself for promising such important things to both David and Gwen, mainly peace of mind. While you wished to tell the truth to David, you preferred to maintain what little harmony existed among the counselors. Hopefully, your talk with Gwen improved her state of mind enough to throw David off her trail.

'She's right.' You reminded yourself. 'David would be devastated to hear that. It would hurt him even MORE if he found out you kept it from him.'

The warmth of summer permeated the air even so late in the night. Pebbles crunched under your shoes as you marched along the path to the camper's tents. Stalking past each one, you listened for snoring, breathing, or mumbling before moving onto the next one. Nerris had vivid dreams judging from her sleep talk, casting spells on orcs and slaying dragons. Nurf snored. Loud. Max mumbled sometimes, never anything revealing, but still noteworthy nonetheless. You lingered by Clementine's tent a bit longer, waiting for her light sighs to assure you she was in deep slumber.

Eventually, you heard the noises you were looking for and returned to the counselor's cabin. Your room was inviting, begging you to rest as did your aching body, but you refused to sleep. Given that you didn't own a single piece of technology made in this decade, all you had left to entertain you was the romance novel Gwen lent you. A sappy love story that had been told a thousand times before.

Guy ignores girl for another girl, girl has no choice but to move on, other girl breaks up with guy, guy doubts himself.

Guy begins to fall for girl, girl is oblivious, freak accident brings them together.

They go through stuff, misunderstanding, break up, angst.

Both realize they need each other. They get together and live happily ever after.

Hollywood loved telling the same story and making millions of dollars from the dumb audience that didn't know the difference between tomato or tomato. Exactly, there wasn't one, but you're getting sidetracked. You focused on the bland, disgusting characters as best you could, picking up every detail that would reveal a stupid plot twist no one saw coming because the author felt like making it dramatic.

It's not what you would have chosen to read on a Wednesday night, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

Just a few minutes before midnight, you heard the hunk of junk station wagon rolling through the dirt path that led to the clearing where David hid the car. God forbid one of the kids find it. You knew Max was proficient at lock picking, but you didn't know if he could hot wire a car.

Joyous humming moved from the shallow woods towards the cabin. A silhouette passed your window, tall, lanky, and overzealous. The vapid story you passed time with was shut and left on the nightstand as you prepared your nerves for a believable performance. David wasn't difficult to swindle at all. In fact, one could describe him as gullible. Gwen fooled him on multiple occasions over sticky situations by pinning the entire experience as a dream. He fell for it every time and wandered off back to his room only to exit a few minutes later proclaiming he had the strangest dream. Poor guy just trusted too easily.

Withdrawing from your room, you walked over to the mini fridge for a water as the sound of keys jingled. Uncapping the bottle and taking a sip right when David entered, you almost spat your drink out once your eyes raked his disheveled form.

His frame was visibly more relaxed than you'd ever seen. The auburn hair stuck out in random wisps as if hands tugged every strand as hard as possible. The large cowlick tuft shaped like a flame seemed wilder than ever. Not as shapely, but even more upright than usual despite being slightly damp. His sleek, off black dress shirt was clumsily buttoned halfway closed. His belt wasn't buckled and his zipper wasn't all the way up. One shoe had been left untied while the other was sloppily done. The well placed wrinkles and missing buttons were blaring alarms of passionately exchanged affection.

So were the bright red welts and purple lipstick marks staining his fair complexion. Every spot where violet lipstick appeared, a bruising hickey stayed on display. They littered his neck more frequently than freckles. Some were half hidden by the shirt's collar. An amateurish attempt to disguise the blatant love bites.

His cheeks flushed a deeper scarlet when the two of you made eye contact. He stepped back, taken by surprise, and gawked at you.

"Wild night, huh Stringbean?" You teased with a wink as you took another plentiful sip from your water to play off your shock from his initial appearance.

Upon hearing your nickname for him, he untensed and cracked a bashful smile. He rubbed the back of his head and nervously chuckled, "N-No! N-Not r-really!" He saw the knowing twinkle in your eyes, but tried denying it anyway. "W-What? N-Nothing happened!"

"Sure David." You nodded sarcastically. "Nothing happened."

His gulp of terror was audible. "Where's Gwen?"

"Sleeping." You took a deep breathe and closed your eyes. "She knocked out after we talked."

David's posture straightened, indicating his interest on what you discussed. You had two objectives to achieve: Make David believe everything was fine with Gwen like she wasn't looking for a way out of crazy town and obtaining the keys without setting off red flags in his head. Shouldn't be too hard.

"Did you....." He trailed off, eyes darting between you and her door.

"Yeah, I found out what was bugging her." You stated as you took a seat on the armchair. David followed suit and sat across from you. He nodded, wordlessly urging you to go on. You ran a hand through your hair, giving it a tug to make sure you weren't dreaming, then explained, "She's worried about her fourth degree. You know, the one in meteorology. It's more stressful than she thought it would be and today didn't help with her high strung self. She had a full blown breakdown while we talked."

"Oh dear....." He sighed, fiddling with his shirt. With the way he looked, it was tough not giggling. "I completely forgot about her fourth degree. Maybe it's best if she took some time off, but she wouldn't get paid."

"I was thinking of going into town early tomorrow and getting her some treats while stocking up on groceries." You suggested as you leaned forward and rested your elbows on your knees. You maintained eye contact with David, not batting your lashes too many times. "It's not much, but the least we could do is give her some space and treats to enjoy at night after work. You don't mind if I take the Batmobile do you?"

"Not at all!" He sang, handing the key ring to you. "Sounds like a plan!" He shifted his gaze for a moment before he smiled. "Thank you Pam. I'm glad I confided in you. You never let me down."

"Alright, alright. I've got this under control. You go get cleaned off before the lipstick actually stains your skin. Gwen will give you so much shit if she sees the shape you're in." You snickered evilly as David shot out of his seat and headed for the bathroom. You called out, "Make sure to put some rubbing alcohol on your hickies."

The door shut softly to keep Gwen from waking. You tried ignoring the sinking feeling in your stomach and argued internally that what you were doing was the best thing for both of them.

You stuffed the keys under the cushion and shut the lights off. The shadows infiltrated the cabin in nanoseconds, shrouding you in darkness as you tiptoed back to your room. Doubt nibbled away at your confidence in your half baked plan. The two of you would have to move together otherwise David might get suspicious.

The nerves didn't fade even after you crawled into bed a third time and huddled under the sheets. For some reason, your face grew hot as you laid on your back, staring at the ceiling while the shower turned on in the next room over. The sheets increased your body heat, making laying there uncomfortable. Your arm draped over your forehead, shielding your eyes from what little light penetrated the darkness.

'Relax.' You mentally cooed. 'It's fine. It's only a little lie. It's for the best.'


	4. Two Hours

"Ah fuck." You huffed, hands clutching your knees as you struggled to catch your breath.

Five laps of dead sprinting around the campgrounds in search of Gwen led to absolutely nothing. Your lungs burned along with your legs. Under the quick tromps of your feet, the grass squelched. The sun hadn't even peaked over the horizon yet, not that you'd see it. A thin fog befell the camp and obscured your sight, making the task of spotting Gwen far tougher than it should have been. Spending an hour running blind was not how you wanted to start the day. As far as you were concerned, you were on a wild goose chase.

Last night after you hid the keys, it escaped you to write a note to Gwen to wait for you. Scouring the camp for hidden money Campbell might have misplaced would pass faster if two people worked together. Not only that, but you needed to go grocery shopping to supply the campers and counselors with food since the stock was running low.

Oh, and David would be waking up soon. If he found you bumbling around, he'd grow suspicious of what you were still doing at camp. Gwen may have had the heart and balls to tell him he was dreaming, but you didn't.

Using your car was a last resort since nobody even knew you had one, but if you couldn't find Gwen soon, then you'd have to take your car.

"Gwen? Where are you?" You called out in a hushed whisper near the shed. You knelt down and studied the chains guarding the contents of the shed. The lock remained steadfast like it hadn't been touched recently, but the keys were gone.

Now why not text her? Isn't that a simple concept? It would have solved the problem from the very beginning, but unfortunately, you didn't own a phone.

Why?

Because. Reasons. That's why.

You had a special two way radio though. Clementine had one radio hidden in her tent and you had the other stuck under your bed frame. It was for emergencies only, a rule the two of you developed early on in your friendship. Rarely were you two apart, but whenever you were, something ALWAYS happened.

Back to the situation at hand. Gwen was nowhere to be found and the keys were gone. Lips puckered, you glanced around your mist shrouded environment again. This was your sixth and final attempt of locating her before you cut your losses and headed for town. Upon silence in reply for when you called out, you sighed and jogged back to the main cabin.

David's soft snoring was audible even from the front door as you snuck through the halls. Slowly dropping to your knees to retrieve the radio from the metal frame of the bed proved challenging from the ache that shot through your tired muscles.

Minimal creaking squeaked from your slick maneuvering when you fiddled with a floorboard you loosened under your bed as well. A small plume of dust threatened to make you sneeze once the board came loose from its perch. Carefully setting it down, you reached into the crevice and fished out a dusty lunchbox. The mere sight of it brought a smile to your face.

The metal hadn't rusted thanks to the utmost time and care you spent keeping it in good shape. It was old fashioned, rectangular at the base but the rounded top half fell back. The design was basic, well, there was no design really. It was a singular color: marigold. Marigold with a ruby red clown nose for the latch that kept it closed. Two black buttons evenly spaced on the lid served as eyes, and the same ruby red color was used for the rounded handle. Five years later and it still looked brand new. One clank later, the box opened to a picnic blanket interior of apple red and off white. Inside protected by the sturdy material sat your car keys, old photos, and about $25,000 in cash.

Your finger brushed the photos. Nostalgia flooded your veins for a moment and you closed your eyes, remembering the truly happy times scattered few and far between. Luckily, the moments were captured forever in the photos, so you didn't have a hard time recalling.

But David's faint sleep talk snapped you out of your peaceful daydream.

You grabbed the car keys, shut the box, and put it back in its hiding spot. Walkman in hand, you headed to the desk in your room. Clipping the radio to your waistband, you quickly scribbled a note to Clementine before leaving the cabin. Jogging past a few tents, you stopped in front of one and peered in. Clementine was out cold. You smiled at her apparent comfort and left the note a few centimeters away from her hand.

"Shoulda brought a jacket...." You grumbled quietly as you wadded through the knee high grass intertwined with prickly weeds. Random holes almost cost you a sprained ankle, but you managed to not eat shit.

The thickets around the clearing you used to hide your car were especially difficult to get past. It may not stop someone with Max's tenacity, Neil's intelligence, or Nikki's strength, but it did enough to deter the rest of the campers. Thankfully, you hid it so far from the camp grounds, the only way to find it would be knowing it was there in the first place. And since you made sure to show up to camp on the bus, you were certain no one would find it.

After clawing your way through a particularly stubborn bush, you reached the clearing that protected your car.

It was a 1997 maroon Chevy Blazer. Not the best or most luxurious you could probably get your hands on, but it was good for blending in and staying unnoticed. Just what the doctor ordered when you got it.

The leather squeaked as you sat in the driver's seat. You tossed the Walkman into the passenger seat. A flick of the key in the slot and the engine roared to life. Small beeps emitted from the radio seconds before the CD's songs began to play. Kids Bop 10, the first CD you ever bought. As Where'd You Go by Fort Minor entered the chorus, you backed up and turned onto the main road.

"I want you to know its a little messed up, that I'm stuck here waiting, no longer debating. Tired of sittin' and hatin' and makin' these excuses for why you're no around and feeling so useless." You rapped alongside the admittedly mediocre singer doing his best to make a censored song rewritten for kids sound good.

Sleepy Peak was an appropriate name for the municipal. The lack of people was a satisfying, reassuring sight. Isolation had become a savior to you. The town's clear disconnect from the city made it the perfect place to lay low and hide. Tumbleweeds bounced across the road, caught by a strong current of wind. Only one car passed you the entire ride to Sleepy Peak. The mailman and his poor little caddy scuttled down the winding road, an urgent look on his face. As though he was running late, and when you checked the time, you realized you were on point. Him and his tutting car vanished behind you and your worries disappeared.

You perked up when the song ended and resulted in a random shuffle. Savin' Me by Nickelback came on. The opening you hummed as you finally arrived in town.

A thought came to mind. 'Maybe Gwen will be in town? The David-mobile was gone when I checked this morning.' "I hope so." You sighed as you parked the car in the scarcely filled lot.

Opening the glovebox disturbed the messy pile of two dozen plastic engagement rings. They rolled around from your forceful swipes as you searched for your wallet.

In and out, simple. The grocery store was devoid of screaming children throwing tantrums over being told no or middle aged women obnoxiously touching everything while they sorted through fresh produce. Desolate and inactive, as you preferred. No people staring, no people talking, no people period. Just a roaming senior citizen or two.

Given the laughably small budget you had to buy food for the campers, you had to drain the reserve you had on standby. You preferred to be frugal when it came to spending, but you figured the campers deserved a good meal for once. Especially since they worked so well yesterday.

Headphones plopped over your ears, you skated through each isle on the shopping cart. Rattling echoed in the rather unoccupied market as you plucked box after box from the shelves. You resisted gathering the fresh produce until the end.

Goosebumps dotted your arms. Fighting the shivers back became unbearable, so you released a quivering breath and wiggled about to generate warmth. The air conditioning used to keep the meat and produce fresh leaked far past its intended targets, spilling over the edge and spreading across the plastered floor. The cold zapped the warmth from your fingers as you swiped occasionally at vegetables, fruits, and meats. Puffing and wheezing on your fingers didn't do a damn thing but make it colder. By the time you got everything you needed, your hands were numb and tingling.

"Cabbage, onion, oregano, chile, chicken broth, pork, radishes, hominy, oatmeal, rice, juice, soda, milk, chips, olive oil, flour, eggs....." You went down each tick and named them aloud.

With everything collected, you scurried to the checkout and watched an older man lackadaisically scan each item while a middle aged woman bagged them for you. Metal racks boasted popular candy, breath mints, batteries, and gossip magazines. You raised a brow then smirked. A Milky Way Clementine, a Musketeer for you, a bag of trail mix for David, and a Snickers plus of the newest gossip magazines for Gwen.

It came out to a grand total of around $80.

Not only were the products fresh, they were cheap too. This place tempted you to hunker down longer than the remainder of summer. Out of range from a city for miles and pretty inactive, it looked too good to be true.

As you packed the groceries into the trunk of your car, something brushed against your ankle. You jolted from the soft tickle and immediately glanced at the ground. Thankfully, it wasn't a snake or a spider. It was just a lone page of the newspaper. Upon picking up the paper to drop it in the recycle bin, you noticed what had been printed on it. Front and center, clear as crystal, as blunt as an atom bomb.

A help wanted ad. A help wanted ad for Camp Campbell.

"No, we do not know where Cameron Campbell is." You murmured the minuscule text to no one in particular. You folded the paper and tossed it into the back seat before shutting the trunk. "I guess Gwen found the money after all."

The trunk clicked close. Inserting the key and turning it locked the trunk. Your peeked up at the reflection and felt your heart skip a beat. An antique shop. You loved them. One giddy smile later, you decided you had enough time to browse the shop and make it back before things got out of hand.

A flush of cool air burst against the crown of your skull the moment you pushed the glass door open. Bells chiming signaled your arrival. Rows and rows of towering shelves made of fine oak wood stood awaiting you to slowly prowl the decades old knick-knacks resting on their carefully lacquered perches.

"Welcome to Forget Me Not Antiques!" Chirped a sweet elderly woman from behind the counter. She looked up at you, attention torn away from the notepad she elegantly wrote on. Glasses, large and square, balanced on the edge of her nose before she pushed it back up with her pruned finger. Her face was round, wrinkled mostly around her eyes and lips. She smiled a lot, clearly. She flashed kind smile your way and said, "It's not often we get youngins in here. Hope you find what you're looking for." She waved to you. "Don't mind my husband. He's just a stick in the mud when it comes to keepin' everything in order."

You paused mid-step before you thanked the woman. She nodded, shifting her large pearl necklace dangling loosely around her neck. Her silver name tag shined diligently against her deep plum tinted, hand knitted, turtleneck sweater. Margret Stiles was engraved front and center. Not a speck of lint laid on her snug sweater. Her hair was a lead grey, short and curly.

She beamed at you then turned her focus back on the notepad and calculator within arms reach. She licked her finger, grabbed the edge of the yellow page, and flipped to the next page.

Like a kid in a candy store, your eyes sparkled and darted from object to object. Worn dolls made of rags and stuffed with cotton sat on the highest shelves just out of normal reach. They watched you stalk the rows, hand hovering inches from abstract paintings, bronze candle holders, dented coins, stacks of fine china, tea sets and more. Glass cupboards guarded the more impressive items. Movie posters from the fifties, vases imported from foreign countries, esteemed pieces of clothing from notable designers.

You bumped into a table covered in brass doorknobs with intricate designs featuring swirls. A box of fishing lures, two columns of silver spoons, and odd looking wooden craved sculptures all shared a spot on top of a dresser. Mirrors of all shapes and sizes were dedicated to one side of the large room you wandered into.

Beautiful handcrafted chairs lined the large back area, but stopped next to a comfy looking sofa. Believing it would perhaps be a great addition to the counselor's cabin wide array of diverse seating, you checked the price.

"Maybe just maybe." You mused to yourself. "If I can convince David we need it...."

You chuckled.

Lamps from small to tall littered the corners, keeping the entire building extremely well lit. A beaten, wooden bat leaned against one of the bigger lamps. On the side, a big sticker declared an absolute steal of a price.

Your eyes were drawn to a jaw dropping doll house. The detail invested in it was astounding, admirable. It was at least four feet big. Beautiful zigzags line the edges and shingled the roof. Sunflower yellow paint coated the areas that weren't grey. Rows and rows of glass windows reflected your image back, protecting the secrets hidden within the house. Peering closer, you noticed a small metal handle on the space next to the wooden carved balcony. A gentle tug revealed a painstakingly attention to detail interior. Flowery wallpaper lined the halls and rooms. Small sofas rested against the walls. A miniature staircase made of what looked to be mahogany seemed to be in the best shape. Little chandeliers glowed in the darkness of the enclosed house.

While absolutely alluring, memories of your old home surged forth. No doubt, the doll house looked a lot like the house you lived in growing up.

All of a sudden, you didn't want to see it anymore.

Spinning on your heel, you headed for the staircase leading up to the second story, passing goat shaped head busts and aluminum watering pails on the way. The wood groaned quietly as you ascended the staircase.

In awe, you gasped at the endless sea of clothing nestled near the mouth of the stairs. Lace, silk, materials of all kinds made the dresses, shirts, and pants you gawked at all the more impressive. As you marveled at a sapphire colored dress that would have hugged your figure, you spotted something you always wanted: A brown bomber jacket.

"Oh man." You muttered as you grabbed the leather sleeve. "How much is it?" Checking the tag made your heart stop. $299 big ones.

Gritting your teeth, a string of curses escaped your tight lipped frown. As much as you wanted to buy it, you couldn't. Taking the time to run downstairs, back to the car, snag a wad of cash, run back to the store, back upstairs, then back downstairs to checkout would take too long. Just pulling out a stack of Benjamin's in the middle of town wasn't smart at all, even if the places was inhabited by ghosts. You'd have to come get it another time. Besides, you wanted to continue exploring for a little bit. You prayed it would still be there by the weekend.

While you moped around the vanity decked in bright bulbs and jewelry, you saw an older man. He moved slowly, but with purpose as he meticulously readjusted an old Polaroid camera.

"One man's trash is another man's treasure, my pop used to say." He suddenly announced, as if he sensed your presence.

You edged closer, picking up a ceramic music box. "Your pop was right."

The man gave you a tired smile, eyes closed. His chin raised slightly. "Can't remember a time he was wrong, that ol' coot." You both laughed together before he sobered up and said, "Good to see the younger generations showing interest in the past. Could give them a lil foresight for the future."

"I guess." You shrugged as you set the music box down after winding it up. A soft, calming tune played.

The man - Richard, according to his name tag - returned to reality. He stroked a pin, feeling every subtle ridge and bump in the metal. He gave you a firm nod and stated, "I hope you find what you're looking for." The tail of his heavy grey coat flapped as he whirled around and trekked downstairs.

Plastic mannequin hands that reached for the sky were decked out in ancient rings and bracelets. The bands were well taken care of. There were minimal dents or scuffs and the golden color hadn't faded. Gems fitted within the rings varied in color. From the brightest white to the darkest black, all were eye catching and beautiful.

A small glass case contained endless amounts of earrings. None of them looked cheap or easily disposable. The light hit them at just the right angle that they gleamed in perfect unison. Some were designed to look like frozen flowers one might find if flora could survive in snow. Or if ice had been shaved into the shape of a flower.

Hanging off two or three small trident shaped hangers were some necklaces. Silver, twine, and gold appeared to be the main materials of the laces. The pendants, often teardrop shaped, swung slightly from side to side. The few open lockets that mixed in the with gems contained stock photos of happy couples kissing or holding hands.

You could imagine the women who fawned over the rings, the bracelets, and the earrings. They probably begged their parents or husbands to purchase the newest piece of jewelry for bragging rights. But then you saw the prices and felt your cheeks blanche. "I don't like jewelry that much anyway." You muttered as you backed away.

Lo and behold, your back bumped against something solid. Shoulders hunched, you waited for a loud crash from whatever you knocked over, but it never came. Seconds ticked by until you relaxed and cautiously glanced over your shoulder.

"No fucking way." A breathless, constricted whisper filled the air.

Three large trophy cases lined the walls, their innards decorated with Hollywood memorabilia. The giant cases set against the left and right walls contained random objects. Guns, clothing, masks, and other miscellaneous props were methodically placed on different platforms or pedestals. A Gremlin puppet made only of the upper torso stared back at you as you gaped at the rest of the items.

A batman mask signed by Adam West, the lamp with cardboard attached to it from Bela Lugosi's Dracula, the knife glove combined with a Power Glove from Nightmare on Elm Street 4, the mask from The Mask, a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, a clapper from the set of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, a fin from Bruce the shark of Jaws, and plenty of others you didn't immediately recognize. A set of Toy Story toys happily grinned at you while concept art for the original animated feature of Snow White served as their background. There were props from more obscure movie sets you hadn't heard of or seen. Taking one step closer to the glass case on the left to examine the props further, you saw something out of the corner of your eye. Something extremely familiar.

Something scarily familiar.

Somersaults couldn't begin to describe the actions your heart did. Air trapped itself in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Panic flooded your system as flashes of the lake caused you to clench your fists. Fearful shivers quivered your body. The churning in your gut almost made you double over had you not been frozen in place. Simultaneously, one half of you wanted to drop to your knees and sob like a fearful infant afraid of the dark while the other half desired nothing more than to smash the display to bits in a fit of rage.

Big, hopeful (e/c) eyes accompanied by a modest blush, long, dark lashes, glossy pink lips and a gorgeous, pearly white smile plastered on a headshot set your skin ablaze.

How often is it that you see someone's younger self gazing into the weary soul of their older self?

They had a whole trophy case dedicated to you: (Name) Vanderweele.

Seeing objects you used to own but hadn't seen in well over ten years summoned an emotion you wished you never felt.

Hanging on two child sized mannequins were two beauty pageant dresses you donned when winning the Universal Royalty Beauty Pageant back to back two years in a row. The first dress was marble white, decked in motley jewels and lace sleeves. The skirt was a short frilly thing, cupcake style. A giant tiara bejeweled in green rhinestones sat on the featureless mannequins head. The other dress was black as tar. The corset had jeweled vines snaked down the front like snow coating the bare branches of trees in the dead of winter. The swirls reached to your knees, leaving the rest of the skirt patternless. It brushed the floor by a centimeter. Long, black silk gloves covered the mannequins hands and forearms. A tiara twice the size of the other adorned the poor thing's head. They had pictures of you wearing each dress next to them as if to mock you, remind you that you did indeed wear this ridiculous getup at one point in your life.

Movie posters protected by large, sturdy frames boasted your rather impressive signature from when you were a child. There were five of them. Two animated features and three live action ones. Among the tremendous slew of a workload you toted as a kid, you managed to remember what each was about. They were generic kid movies, but for some god damn reason, everyone loved them. Highly esteemed and adored by all, it seemed like you could do no wrong. VHS tapes of the five movies were perched in a rack with a sixth on top. Your break through movie, Felines Don't Boogie. You voiced the antagonist of the film, a snot nosed brat for a child star named Kathrine "Kathy" Kendall.

Your eyes drifted to a small, beaten up bear sitting under a rounded glass cover. The repairs done to the poor stuffed animal were clear. The eyes didn't match sizes, the fur was stained with something, one leg was shorter than the other. Thinking back to your first indie movie, memories of the abuse the bear went through came back to you. Since a majority of the movie had already been shot when it sustained the first major injury - a piping hot coffee spill - the production had no choice but to continue using the same doll. They were able to write in the changes without trouble since the movie pretty much demanded it. 'The Bear and the Cabinet', you recalled. In front of the bear sat the tiny cabinet that took up the other half of the movie's title. By a miracle, they were able to market the bear as a toy to children. His name was Mr. Honey Nuts if your memory served you right.

Looking over the trip down memory lane granted you your wits back. After the initial shock of stumbling upon a morbid collection of your things faded, you frowned. 'Destroy it all.' Was your first thought. 'Buy everything and burn it all. Fuck it.'

The more you thought about it, the better it sounded. You couldn't rest knowing this shrine, an ode really, to you existed. The memorabilia may have been incredibly valuable and a cash cow waiting to get milked, but you couldn't leave this for some random person to purchase. Contemplations of dropping every cent you had on the $10,000 collection entered your head and refused to leave.

Tossing every piece of garbage into the bonfire would make the warmth ten time better. The stench might be distracting, yet you didn't care. You were beginning to lean towards the impulse of buying everything on the spot.

Gentle crackling of white noise interrupted your musings of arsonist fantasies. It took a moment to register, but when it did, your eyes shot open and you hand slapped your side. Your lips hovered over the radio as you held the button down and whispered, "Solus?"

The two of you set up an uncommon language to use for radio talks. The opening was anyway. To safeguard the opposite person and not give them away in case the secret radio had somehow been compromised.

First, the person engaging the channel alerts the other with a caution click to give both parties time to flee into a less populated place. Once alone, the one who was contacted asks the caller if they too are alone. With a wide variety of yes or no answers to keep anyone from catching on, the caller confirms whether they are alone or not. The reply determines whether or not the contacted should search for the caller with their guard up.

Radios were the only form of communication you trusted. Cellphones could be tracked as well as pagers. Two way radios were far harder to pinpoint a location. Certain measures had to be taken to assure your safety.

Regardless of her answer, you'd completely switched gears and started calmly walking out of the store as to not raise any suspicion. The wait was killing you, but the silence choked you.

"Sendube." Her response was late, strained, and trembling, but a confirmation of her safety and solitude.

"What's wrong?" You prompted as you passed by the bomber jacket and eyed the mouth of the staircase.

"T-This weird guy! He sh-showed up out of nowhere, but he's a counselor now. I can't find Gwen and David left us with the guy to finish his paperwork."

A lone sweater sleeve nearly tripped you as it lounged out of the box it sat in. You huffed and kicked the box before starting downstairs. "Did he give you guys his name?"

"I think it was Daniel and he looks just like David." She fell silent for a second before adding, "He said some weird stuff about space and negativity. I got a bad vibe from him so went to look for David. The others changed into all white clothes and now they're building something. It kinda looks like a sauna."

You bit your lip. Your heart began to race. Something about this sounds fishy, not to mention sounds like you've heard it somewhere before. "He came alone? Anyone else?"

"No, he came alone. They finished the sauna. Everyone's going in it because he told them to." She gasped. "Uh oh."

You tensed. "Uh oh? What the hell is going on?" You hissed. Instead of walking downstairs, you leaped down whole steps to speed up the process. Your thoughts pinged a million miles an hour as the ice flowed through your veins.

"They're looking for me." She whimpered. "Their eyes look weird! (Name), what should I do? If I run, I'll make a lot of noise and they'll find me."

"Pick a tree and climb as high as you can. When you're sure they can't hear you or you're as high as you can go, call me back."

Caught, the two of you had been found. You didn't recognize a lone Daniel, but what else could it be? You reached the ground floor and burst into another dead sprint. Knowing you might have to fight to get Clementine out of harm's way, you snagged the cheap bat and headed for the exit. Shoving the radio into the waistband of your tights, you tucked the bat under your armpit, fished out a wrinkled hundred dollar bill, and underhand tossed it at Margret.

"KEEP THE CHANGE." You screeched as you plowed through the door and beelined for your car. Practically stabbing the key into the lock, you threw the door open and dove inside.

The engine roared to life, a battle cry almost. Tires squealing and dirt clouds billowing, you left the town of Sleepy Peak and raced to Camp Campbell. The speedometer swung into the nineties within seconds. The curves of the underdeveloped road and forest scenery no longer felt safe. A prison, with one way in and one way out. You block one path and no one gets out.

This Daniel fellow may have come alone, but the danger was there. He could possibly be a scout, a hit man, anything. You didn't doubt they were doing everything in their power to ruin your life or end it.

A crackle.

"Sola." You instantly stated.

"Je. (Name)?" Clementine asked.

"You okay?"

"I made it to the top. I can see everything."

"Where are you? Near the Mess Hall or the tents?"

You heard her shift a little. "I'm near the Activities Field. They are all there too. Setting up tables and punch?" Her voice trailed off into a question.

"Punch?"

"Preston....." She cried out before shakily inhaling. "They got him!"

"Look, I'll be there in two minutes. I'll call you then. You climb down and I'll meet you halfway. There's something I have to grab from the counselor's cabin before we leave--"

"Leave?" The little girl on the other questioned. You picture her frowning. "We aren't leaving them! We can't!"

"We have to. It's not safe. They found us. We'll stay at Ben's place. He's our safe house here." You sternly growled. "They'll have to deal with it themselves. We have to protect ourselves and only ourselves, remember?"

"But my friends--"

"Us and only us."

Clementine fell silent. A pang of guilt pierced your heart. Your grip tightened on the steering wheel as you sighed. Assuming her quiet end meant she forfeited on her stance, you opened your mouth to give her the directions again when she suddenly piped up again.

"It's not right. They're our friends. And friends help friends. When you needed them most yesterday, they were there for you." She took a deep breath, then proposed an ultimatum. "If you don't help them, I will. I'll go down there and stop Daniel myself."

"Don't you dare." You barked, temper flaring out of fear and anger. "You will stay right where you are!"

"No. I'm going down there right now." The leaves rustled loudly, informing you she was being serious. "I'll stop him if you won't."

"Clementine. Do. Not-" You glanced at the bat in your lap. Frustrated, you ground your teeth and relented. "Alright! Fine!"

Sounding shocked but failing to hide it, the curly haired girl asked, "Uh what?"

"I'll do what I can about Daniel on the condition that you stay right were you are." You scowled at the mere thought of having to face whoever they sent. "Are they still in the Activities Field?"

"Yea-...Wait! David is back. Max is with him." Relief was evident in her tone. "I'll get down and--"

"No." You cut her off. "Stay there."

"Why?"

"Because David and Gwen hired this wacko without running a background check, I bet. They didn't run one for me either. Clearly this Daniel guy is crazy, David won't do anything." You saw the Camp Campbell billboard on the horizon of the final stretch of road. "I'm almost there anyway. If shit hits the fan, I'm parking the car behind the billboard and leaving the keys in the glove compartment. You know how to drive. Get the hell out."

Swerving down the road, you focused on not crashing the car. God forbid the two of you have to escape on foot. You came to a screeching halt, completely disregarding the thumps and cracks coming from the trunk. Fuck the groceries.

"Max went in the sauna." Clem shouted. "What is he doing?"

"Keep your voice down!" You chided, ripping the seatbelt off as you pitched the keys into the glove compartment. Tossing the Walkman into the backseat, you vaulted out of the car, slamming the door behind you and clutching the heavy, wooden bat tightly in your hands.

"Where did that come from?" Clementine mumbled. "Wait, are they......singing?"

"I'm hopping off. If things get bad, don't bother waiting for me. Ben's address is also in the glove compartment." A twinge of fear shot through you, but you fought it down and muttered, "Love you Clem."

"Love you too (Name)."

Jogging towards the Activities Field, you kept your eyes peeled. Sweat greased the bare handle of the bat. You cursed under your breath and wiped your clammy hands on your shirt, hoping to strengthen your trembling grip on the bat.

The singing became louder as you drew close. Smooth violin and frantic guitar strumming began to rise to a crescendo. Finding no one near Ered's hand built skate ramp, you slunk behind it for cover. You caught your breath for a second before peeking around the corner to find the camp's tormentor.

A tall lanky man dressed in all white stood there, looming across from David. Surprisingly, the red haired man looked irritated. Dare you say angry?

"Well friend I don't know what to say~"

"Try starting with your resignation~"

"Let's end this in the finale~"

"I'm dying from anticipation~"

The scene was so peculiar, you couldn't help but watch the madness unravel and plummet even deeper as they stomped closer to each other, leaned closer, and literally butted heads. The jumble of admittedly impressive ad-lib lyrics passed by too quickly for you to catch, but you could tell the song was nearing its end. David, pleasant as always, politely praised Daniel while Daniel boldly trashed David. The words may have been different, but they harmonized well all the same.

"I think I might be better than you~ (Now I know I'm better than you~)"

A smug look slipped onto David's face as Daniel shot a glare at him.

"Don't hate me cause it's true~ (And I'll prove it to you too~)"

You snapped out of you amazed daze and slowly crept out from behind the ramp. With Daniel's back turned, you tiptoed closer and closer until he suddenly headed for the table surrounded by the campers. You scampered after him praying he hadn't caught a glimpse of you. He seemed too invested in the song to be aware of his surroundings.

They both took a deep breathe before the apparent finale.

David leaned back, belted out, and held the final note as Daniel pompously grabbed a cup of juice and downed it in one gulp. The slimy bastard sung about his intent to kill the campers as he slunk towards David again.

He discarded the violin on the ground before whipping out a wavy dagger from under his shirt. With David singing his heart out and his eyes closed, he couldn't see the attack threatening to end his life just feet away from him. Adrenaline pumping, your once frigid, frozen, fear ridden veins melted from the intense, red hot, scorching fury that seared you to the bone.

Stepping with all your weight in sync with Daniel raising the knife, you heard David stop and gasp. Daniel continued to sing as you swung with all your might and a grunt.

**_CRACK_ **

You'd never seen anyone drop as fast as Daniel did. He flopped down face first and snored into the grass. With Daniel out of the way, you had been revealed to David. The red head's eyes were wide with bewilderment and a dash of ebbing fear.

"P-Pam?" He stuttered, shoulders relaxing at the sight of you. He watched you step over Daniel's body. "You're back already? Gwen sai--"

"Two hours." You sharply interjected, rage dripping from your tone. Using the bat as a pointer, you gestured to the campers surrounding a bowl of poisoned punch and reiterated, "I was gone for two fucking hours and THIS SHIT HAPPENS?"

The unbearable heat of anger rose to your cheeks, turning them a deep scarlet. The pressure of your tightened jaw felt like you were going to snap your own teeth in half. Hand shaking, you raised the end of the bat and jabbed it into David's face, knocking him back slightly. He clung to his guitar, a shameful expression overtook his once relieved one. His eyes darted to the ground.

"Well, it's just that I--"

"Just that you what? Thought it was a swell idea?"

"H-He seemed nice! And really excited to work at Camp." He pulled out the newspaper ad Gwen somehow managed to crowbar in. You lowered the bat and took it, examining the ad again. "He was the first one to respond to the ad. No one else has called about it. Gwen took all of her vacation days and we need all the help we can get with the kids."

"Seemed nice?" You repeated with an incredulous, exasperated exhale. "David, you can't go around hiring just anybody. I know for a fact you didn't run a background check on him-....I mean, LOOK!" You lifted the paper up to his eye level tapped the sneering blonde's face on the next page. "THIS IS A WANTED AD. IN THE SAME PAPER. TWO. PAGES. LATER. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME DAVID?"

He flinched from your bellowing. You never yelled like this, ever. Especially not at David. You hurled the bat in a random direction, losing it among the brush.

Rustling leaves caught your attention. A bush in the tree line parted, unveiling a worried Clementine. "Mom?" She croaked, on the verge of tears. You felt your breath hitch in your throat and your eyes water. The crumpled newspaper and your seething wrath were forgotten in the snap of a finger when Clementine came running from the cover of the forest. You dropped to a knee as she leapt into your arms.

"Wait, Lola? How did you...." He trailed off, glancing between the creepy campers and the two of you.

"She called me here." You said, smiling proudly at the girl. "She ran at the first sign of trouble and told me about what was going on." Your smile fell when the briefest of thoughts reminded you that you would have come back to a massacre had she not been smart. You would have let them be slaughtered had she not been stubborn.

You had no right to be angry at David when you were willing to abandon him without a second thought.

"We should probably figure out a way to get them back to normal." You stated after the long embrace. Turning to the "Purification Sauna", you looked for the panel that protected the breakers. Perhaps shutting it off would do something?

A few minutes of carefully examining the walls of the building yielded nothing. It was the second round of pawing at random spots that made a dull thud. Feeling the shape of a flap, you jammed your nails under the well hidden panel and pried it open. At the expense of your pointer finger nail, you found a dial. You almost laughed. The two available settings were Purify or Reverse.

Putting the setting on Reverse and pushing the small, white button to confirm, you stepped back and called out, "I think I got it."

You met with David in front of the sauna and herded the campers into it. Their odd waddle and doll like expression only added to the creep factor. Hissing steam and a voice repeating 'You are not safe' made you second guess your decision until the door swung open. The campers stumbled out like drunks, clutching their heads and groaning. Their clothes were no longer white as snow and their pupils returned to their normal size.

"Ugh.....what happened?" Harrison whimpered, wiping his nose with his arm. Nerris plopped down on the ground next to Neil, rubbing the fog off her glasses.

Nurf followed after him. "Daniel brainwashed us by taking advantage of our emotional insecurities and tried kill us." He closed his eyes, placed a hand over his heart, and pouted. "I'll never open up or trust anyone again."

Ered crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned on the sauna for support. "Totally not cool." Nikki laid out like a starfish on the grass, moaning from pain

"His betrayal, how could I not see it coming?" Preston cried, dropping to his knees and shaking his clenched fists at the sky. "David's doppelgänger pure hearted? Only a fool would fall for it! And I am the biggest fool of all."

"Well gee, I thought Daniel was pretty nice." Space Kid shrugged.

Dolph nodded in agreement. "Ja, I did too."

The last one out was Max. He pressed his fingers to his temples and made circular motions. "Wow, David beat Daniel. My plan actually wor-" Max slurred until he saw you standing beside the aforementioned head counselor. His impressed smirk fell back into his usual frown. "Never mind."

"I'll go call an ambulance." David turned to leave, but paused. The sound of ambulance sirens blared in the distance, hastily approaching thanks to the empty road.

"Already got it covered." Quartermaster grunted as he leisurely strolled past the unconscious man on the floor. He carried a plastic jug on his hook with a funnel taped to the opening. He set the jug on the floor and poured the poisonous concoction into the funnel. He shook the glass bowl, ensuring every fatal drop made it into the jug. He even scraped some of the rat poison scraps from the ground into the drink.

The ambulance arrived moments later, swerving dangerously close to the trees. The truck stopped at the entrance of the Activities Field. Two men hopped out. One scurried to the back of the truck while the other approached you and David.

He held a clipboard and a pen in hand. "We received a call about accidental poisoning." Were the only words he managed to get in before you pointed at Daniel, still snoring. "That's the guy?"

"He drank some then panicked. Hit his head on the way down pretty hard too. Knocked him out cold. It made a terrible noise!" You worriedly told the man. Tucking your hand under your elbow, you nibbled on your fingernails and fought back crocodile tears. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Can't say at the moment. It depends on how much he consumed. Looks like a whole box huh?" The man glanced at the messy table clear of everything except the box. The Quartermaster fled with the punch along with the red solo cups.

"I'm concerned about the children as well. They saw everything." You hugged yourself as you focused on the man. His partner already loaded Daniel onto a gurney and wheeled him away. "Can you give us a call when everything is sorted out? We can't leave the campers unattended, otherwise we'd head over to the hospital right away."

"Don't worry your pretty lil head miss. I'm sure he'll be just fine." Sympathy flashed on the man's face.

Blood spots stained the grass where Daniel laid. Maybe you hit him harder than you imagined. Swallowing roughly, you shut your eyes dramatically, turned to David, and rested your forehead on his shoulder. After a moment of confusion, you felt his arms wrap around you, a hand on your lower back, and soft, comforting pats on your upper back.

The man followed your line of sight and clicked his tongue. "We'll call you as soon as we can."

With that, the two men jumped back in their truck, started the siren, and took off for Sleepy Peak General. You waited until you couldn't hear the sirens anymore. Once the air was devoid of high pitched ringing, you asked, "Are they gone?"

"Yeah. I hope they-...h-huh?" He staggered forward when you tried pulling away. "P-Pam?"

"They're gone. We can stop pretending like we give a shit about him." You deadpanned as you reached around your back and peeled David's hands off.

David stepped back, hands raised as he gawked at you. Almost in awe, the look in his eyes. It was then you noticed your small audience, Max and Preston. The others wandered off to recuperate from yet another rough day. They were probably too exhausted to question your sudden care for the man who nearly killed them.

"Holy shit." Max chirped. "You actually had me convinced you cared about the psychopathic, murderous fuck."

"The cops might be on him by tomorrow, but they'd have my ass today for assault and battery with a deadly weapon. I'd get locked up faster than he would if they found out the truth given the kind of town this is."

He gave you a strange squint before evacuating the area.

Pure admiration twinkled in the theater boy's eyes. His hands were shaking, curled into fists as he jumped up and down. "Brilliant acting for a but a mere, lowly camp counselor. You'd have a bright future in the world of theatre." Preston clapped like a madman. "You must star in my next play. I've been inspired, struck by the energizing bolt of creativity. I have to start writing right away!"

The boy frantically scrambled for his tent to jot down the ideas that came to mind, leaving you and David alone.

"That kid's a trip." You chuckled, hands propped on your waist.

"He's right, you know?" He shook his head after you gave him a confused hum. "That was pretty great acting. Did you ever take classes?" You shook your head, resisting the urge to look away from your blatant lie. "You would make for a phenomenal actor, but I think you're an even better camp counselor."

Given your history, you wouldn't doubt you still had some skill left despite how long it's been.

Acknowledging his compliment but not wanting to dwell on it, you spun on your heel and said, "Thanks. We should clean the rest of this up. I wouldn't be surprised if Nikki ends up eating some of this crap."

The campers had been dismissed early. Gwen was supposed to plan the rest of the day's activities, but she had taken off already. Daniel was gifted her reign and easily dominated the schedule he set until you threw a wrench in his plans. Or a bat, whichever fit best.

While you were a little irritated by her antics, you couldn't focus on someone who wasn't around at the moment. She also didn't try to murder the campers. That was also a factor. There were bigger fish to fry. Like discovering Daniel's true intent. He wanted to 'help' everyone reach 'Ascension', but why? After realizing he wasn't sent to find you because of the song and dance he did, you struggled to think of any kind of motive. His lack of one bugged you.

Had he done it for fun?

Why was he on the loose if the police knew about him?

And most of all......

Why the HELL did he seem familiar to you?

You never saw his face, but Clementine told you it was disturbingly similar to David's. Even his name rung a bell in your head. Albeit being so small you had to ponder it for hours, you were sure you knew the name Daniel. You emptied your memory banks three times over and still came up with nothing. A co-star on one of your early movies? A friend you made on the road? A guy you heard of by word of mouth?

You were sitting on your bed, staring at the wall when a faint knock caught your attention. "It's open."

"Pam?" David quietly called out before sticking his head in. "The hospital called."

You perked up and nodded, signaling for him to continue. David walked over to the bed and took a seat on the edge next to your feet. "He dead?"

"No, he's fine. They got him there well before the poison took effect and pumped his stomach." He said. "The fall broke his nose. Your hit didn't seem to do much damage besides give him mild amnesia."

"Oh, just mild amnesia?" You joked. "I didn't hit him hard enough then."

David smiled. "He's already starting to remember stuff, but nothing from today yet." David looked at his feet. "They said we could come visit."

"Good, let's go." You were still wearing your uniform. "I have questions, several of them."

"W-We don't have a car. Gwen took mine." David stammered, "A-And the Q-Quartermaster is o-out for the night."

"I've got my own ride." You announced, throwing on a random pair of shoes and waving David off. You stood up straight and said, "I'm going right now. If you want to come, get your shoes on and meet me outside in two minutes. Take a sweater, it's going to be cold in there."

David hauled ass and scurried out of the cabin in a minute flat. He locked up the cabin to keep any curious or mischievous campers from easily getting in.

"I guess since Gwen took the car, we'll have to use mine for the time being." You sighed as you climbed into the driver's seat. David crammed himself into the passenger seat, sitting uncomfortably until you pushed his chair back.

"Thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck, ruffling the shirt-turned-scarf. You remained quiet, preferring to keep the peace as you revved the car to life.

For a second time that day, you peeled onto the road to the town of Sleepy Peak. The ride was unusually silent. David, being the chatterbox he is, sparks conversations every moment possible. Glancing at the man, you saw him staring at his hands. They were crossed in his lap, fingers interlaced as he twirled his thumbs. Momentarily, you wondered if you pushed him to accompany you against his will. He wasn't much of a fighter, so not only did you strong arm him into going somewhere, you were dragging him to see the man who attempted to murder him earlier that day.

The silence you sat in slowly became unbearable tension. Hoping music would be the solution you yearned for, you cleared your throat and murmured, "Could you reach into the back and grab my Walkman?"

"Yeah, sure." His abnormally long arms easily let him scoop up the hastily discarded tech and fish it back to the front. David smiled at the outdated music player, examining it before chuckling, "I haven't seen one of these in a while."

"It's only two decades old." You jested in a halfhearted aim to lighten the mood.

"Makes me feel old." He ejected the tape and inserted it into the radio. The tape wound up, preparing to play a random song.

"It makes you feel old?" You laughed, "Imagine how I feel."

"O-Oh. I d-didn't mean. I uh..." Flustered and red in the face, David stumbled over his words. It took you a second to catch on. You cracked open the windows to help the flushing David cool down.

"Don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean it like that." You quickly replied.

David, Gwen, and the rest of the campers believed you were the oldest amongst the counselors at the ripe age of 32. The truth was you'd barely turned 20 a month prior to the start of camp. You were Gwen's junior by three years and David's by four, but you outclassed them both in maturity by at least a decade.

"A-Alright." He mumbled, still embarrassed.

The radio decided you two had humiliated yourselves enough to finally pick a song. With one last vibrant whir, a steady drumbeat and guitar chords flowed from the speakers. You straightened up, eyes glued to the road. The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, one of your favorites. You reached for the sound dial to pump up the volume when your hand collided with David's.

"Sorry." The two of you quickly, yet unanimously offered.

"If you don't like it, you can change it." You said.

David gaped at you, revealing his usual happy go lucky persona. "Change it? I love Fleetwood Mac!" He leaned forward and turned it louder, significantly so.

"Why I am not surprised?" You snickered, holding the steering wheel with one hand and your other out the window. The cool wind whipped through your fingers easily pushing it back while soothing your skin.

David happily hummed along for a little before breaking out into song. A grins snuck onto your lips without you noticing.

"You're pretty great at camping, but I think you've got a future in the music industry if you really wanted." You chimed after the song ended. Without meaning to, you gushed, "Especially songwriting. That ad-lib earlier was amazing. I know you sing all the time, but I never really thought about how natural you are at it."

The red head beamed at you. "Thank you Pam!"

You bit your lip. The urge to apologize for your outburst increased tenfold. Not only had the awkward tension lifted, he seemed happier than before. 'It's now or never.'

"Hey David?" You uttered, receiving an energized grunt in response. Enraptured in the music, he probably wouldn't see an apology coming. You drummed your fingers on the steering wheel before gaining the courage to continue. "A-About earlier? Everything I said? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you or said what I did, I had no right."

To hear you better, David lowered the music. "Huh?"

"I blamed you for something someone else did. That was completely unfair for me to do. I know you just wanted to make things run smoothly so that shit would stop going haywire like it always does." You sighed, unable to look him in the eye. Still, you swallowed the pill called pride and looked at him. "I was just.......I worry. Not just about the kids or Gwen's anxiety, but your safety."

You'd arrived in town. The hospital was a minute away.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You.....you're too nice for your own good sometimes. It's not a bad thing! It's just that people take advantage of that." You turned down the road where the hospital was located. "The campers, Gwen, even me. We all take advantage of you, step all over you without even taking your feelings into consideration. If I had come straight back from the store, things wouldn't have escalated the way they did. If hadn't told Gwen about the--"

Your eyes widened. You nearly sold her out. Feeling David's intensely interested stare, you put a hand in your chest and coughed vehemently.

"S-Sorry!" You coughed, pointing at your throat. "Swallowed wrong."

Guilt immediately gripped you for taking advantage of his gullible nature after apologizing for doing just that. You waited a few seconds to calm down, then jump back into the conversation.

"I just worry about you, more than Lola sometimes." You truthfully admitted. A part of you wondered how a person like David remained so pure hearted in a cruel world surrounded by bitter people. "That's what I was trying to say."

A pause. "I know." David wore a saddened frown. "I should have paid closer attention to him. You were right about that."

The car came to a stop when you pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. There were more people here than at the market. "I didn't have to be an absolute bitch about it though." You remarked, pulling the keys out of the ignition.

David's eyes widened. He shook his head rapidly, expressing ardent disagreement. "Don't say that! Never say that about yourself." David struggled to build a sentence around the word, opting to leave it out entirely. "You're not.....you're nothing like that. You were just being truthful because you were worried. You weren't being a......you know."

You gave David an amused smile. "Thanks for that."

He opened his arms and asked, "Forgiveness hug?"

You snorted. "Forgiveness hug." You stepped into the embrace, trying to ignore the glaring height difference between the two of you. The lanky man always gave his hugs his all. They were a unique source of comfort and warmth. Honestly, you could spend all day hugging the Stringbean, but you'd never admit it aloud.

After pulling away, you locked the door and turned to David. "You never told me you had a car." He said as he slipped his sweater on.

"It never came up." You stated, climbing the concrete staircase. "Besides, if one of the campers had an inkling of the idea I owned a car, they'd ask me to drive it." You held the door open and stood there for a moment, just holding the door. "They already ask me 24/7 if they can drive yours."

"W-What? Really?" He seemed startled.

You nodded. "All the time. Max wants me to show him how to drive." You closed your eyes and began to work yourself up.

"Pam, what are you doing?"

Once the sting of tears threatened to spill, you opened your eyes and answered, "Getting my game face on." A slew of tears rolled down your cheeks.

Throwing the door open, you hurriedly shuffled to the front desk, making a show of wiping your tears away. The woman sat up straight, dark chocolate brown hair rolled into a neat bun. Upon seeing your distress, the woman's expression softened and she cooed, "Are you here to see someone ma'am?"

Cupping your cheek, you nodded and said, "A man. He accidentally swallowed some poison? His name is Daniel."

The woman swirled to face her computer and loudly typed in some key information. She took a second to read the screen before smiling, "Ah, yes. He was brought in a few hours ago. Second floor, room 24." She looked up at you. "I'll call and let his attending nurse know he has visitors."

"Oh, God bless your heart. Thank you so much!" You exclaimed, flashing a relieved smile at the woman.

"No problem darling."

Hiking up the stairs with David was quick and painless. The elevator would have taken too long. Your heart sped up, both from anticipation and the staircase workout. A nurse stood in front of room 24, eyeing the two of you as you approached.

"If you're here to see Daniel, you'll have to wait a few minutes." She kept her voice low, hushed. "He tried escaping and made quite the mess, so we have to keep watch on him. I'll let you know when to come in once I finish cleaning up." She gestured to the water cooler propped in the middle of the hallway. "Help yourselves while I finish cleaning."

She vanished behind a privacy curtain. You and David shared a look before shrugging. The waterworks show had drained you a bit, so you grabbed a cup for both you and David. He politely declined. And since you didn't want the water to go to waste, you down the first like a shot. David watched you in a mix of slight awe and horror. To stop him from having a heart attack, you casually sipped on the second one, raising a brow to silently ask if that was better.

"Actually, I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." He told you before running downstairs, heading for the one bathroom you passed on the way up.

'He must have really had to go.' You thought when the sound of plastic shuffling caught your attention.

The nurse poked her head out from the room, beckoning you as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "You can come in." She withdrew her head once you stood up. Crushing the paper cup and tossing it, you prepared yourself to face the snarky bastard. If you waited for David, he'd try to keep it civil, but you knew you'd have to use some force in order to get some real answers.

"I told you, I didn't want visitors." You heard a dry voice growl.

"I'm sorry, Sir. We can't exactly make them leave. You'll have to deal with them yourself."

Glancing over your shoulder to make sure David wasn't there, you took a deep breath and walked in. You were ready to annihilate him, even if the nurse was there.

Creeping past the floral curtain, your eyes met his and you put on the meanest glare you could muster-

-only for it to slide off your face as if it had been greased.

For the umpteenth time that day, your blood lost the intense heat and became colder than ice. You froze in your position, hand lax and outstretched ever so slightly. An emotional tide washed over you, summoning real tears to your eyes. The day had been strange enough already, you couldn't help but want to pinch yourself. To know that this was real, not a horrible joke your own mind played on itself.

Every foul name you had ready to spit at him evaporated into nothing. The cat got your tongue, prevented you from speaking for what felt like an eternity.

So he broke the silence.

"(Name)?"

The water cup you held dropped to the floor, splattering in a small puddle at your feet. Small droplets covered your feet, but you didn't care.

Now you knew why his name felt so familiar, rolling off your tongue like you had said it a million times before. And it would continue to roll off your tongue for a million more. The repressed memories surged forth, forcing a single word, a single name past your lips as well.

"Daniel?"


	5. Short Reconnect

The world came to a stop. Almost like a record scratch and a freeze frame were begging to be inserted. Faint, yet labored breathing filled the silence after two names were muttered. From a lax, steady beat to a frantic, rapid thump, your heart worked overtime to supply you with the blood flow it deemed necessary.

Eyeing you closely as if fearful you were but a tempting mirage, Daniel squinted then widened his eyes. You did the same, but in reverse.

God knows how long the two of you stared at one another.

The nurse clicked her tongue, thoroughly annoyed with your seemingly uncaring demeanor. She opened her mouth to scold you for dropping a cup of water when you snapped out of your daze. Stomping into the small puddle, you accidentally spread the mess as you raced to Daniel's side. The blonde haired man scooted back to sit up. He was unsure of whether this was another ethereal hallucination or not, but the tangible force you hugged him with and heat that rolled off your body quickly squashed his suspicions.

Despite the IVs hooked into his arms, he wrapped them around your body, ignoring the roaring ache plaguing his limbs. The warm breaths made him shiver when the air hit his exposed neck. A sudden, sharp inhale and shuddering exhale earned his attention. He didn't dare pull away when he felt something wet lightly land on his shoulder. A tear, and another. And another.

"You're not dead." Came your broken whisper. "You're not dead."

Your hands patted his back, briefly brushing against his skin. They wandered from his back to his hair. They retreated when he hiss from the pain, but returned to cautiously rake through the matted locks.

"Yeah," he quietly said, "I'm still alive. We both are." His fingers trembled as they prodded your sides gently to reaffirm himself of your real presence.

You swallowed, fighting the lump that formed at the memory of your last encounter all those years ago. For so long, you believed he was dead. Long dead because of you. Because you were young, dumb, and naive enough to think the both of you could make it out unharmed. To even consider how quickly they would--

"How?" You pulled away slightly and kept your voice low, throwing a peek at the nurse. She may not have known anything to pose any real threat, but you wanted to keep it that way.

Daniel's arms remained wound around your waist. His eyes followed your line of focus, and the walls were back up. A show of such vulnerability in front of a stranger wouldn't happen again.

"Excuse me, ma'am." The arms around your waist tightened when the woman dwelling in the room made herself known. You craned your neck, attempting to look the nettled nurse. Her face wrinkled in distaste. She scowled. "Not only have you made a mess and a possible slipping hazard, you cannot touch a patient like that." Embarrassment prickled your cheeks in hot needles. Sensing that, she raised her chin and sneered, "I'm going to politely ask you to clean up after yourself and leave early."

Up until that last part and the way she delivered that demand, you were nodding, then you reeled back. Jaw tightening and brows furrowing, you protested, "I-I'll definitely clean up the mess, but kicking me out? Is that really necessary?"

She tossed her black curls over her shoulder. "I'm afraid so. If you create such chaos in a matter of seconds, then I can't allow you to pose a threat to the patient. I hope you understand."

Opening your mouth to refute, Daniel beat you to it. "She's not a damn janitor. Just because your lazy ass hates cleaning up doesn't mean you make a visitor of all people do your job for you." You glanced at him, noting the wide eyed, maniacal grin he wore. "Now, you're going to get a mop and bucket and clean it up yourself, but only after my special visitor takes her leave. Until she leaves this poor excuse of a hospital, you stay out of this room. Is that understood?" His neck cracked loudly when he tilted his head in a strident jerk. He squeezed tighter, a subtle indication that regardless of the time lost between the two of you, the connection was strong as before. The woman - too disturbed to argue - nodded and stepped backwards, heels clacking against the floor. "Good. Get out, you make me sick."

In a backwards stumble, the frightened woman fled the room, shoving past the floral curtains while panting in short, panicked breaths. The clicking of her heels echoed through the hallway for a little before falling dead silent all together.

Bizarrely enough, Daniel burst into a fit of laughter, leaning forward while still hanging onto you. Stunned by the display of intimidation he exercised on the poor nurse, you could only observe the spectacle sans a trace of amusement. Alas, your staring turned into you gawking in the disbelief that returned from the whirlpool of emotions that wrecked you earlier. The laughter went strong, but the volume faded to ringing in your ears as you shifted in his arms. Without realizing it, you lifted your hands to tenderly cup the soft, pale skin of his cheeks.

His mad hysterics instantly died down. Aquamarine hues almost quivered as they trained themselves on your (e/c) ones. Whether it was your clammy hands or a nervous reaction, the contact grew warmer and warmer as his face turned a light scarlet.

The entertained grin slid off his features and were replaced by a look of awe. His lips were slightly parted as he admired your grown attributes. He felt his heart skip a beat when your lashes flittered. The pounding organ nearly leapt out of his throat when you peered closer, leaned closer and started to close the already absurdly tiny distance between your lips and his. His muscles went lax under your touch as he desperately yet weakly pawed at your back to maintain his hold on you. His eyelids began to slowly close. A quake traveled through his body like an explosive shockwave when the warm breath you expelled collided with his chapped lips. He waited for the much desired contact. Then--

"How the fuck are you still alive?" You whimpered, causing his eyes to fly open. Hurt, confusion, relief, guilt, all that and more flashed in your eyes. "The last I sa-...heard, they were beating you to death." The weight of the sentence and memory made you recoil so hard, you ripped yourself free of Daniel's grip. "I was so stupid! It was the stupidest idea. I should have never left you behind. I should have never left period!"

 

_"They're coming! Hurry!"_

 

"(Name). (Name) don't say that!" He said, trying to reach for you, but you crouched and covered your face with your hands, leaving you way out of range.

 

_"I-I'm trying!"_

 

"If I never dragged you into that.....idiotic escape plot, they would have never hurt you the way they did!" You cried. Wishing that you could shrink into nothing hardly described what you yearned for.

 

_"Faster! We have to go faster or they'll catch us for sure!"_

 

Daniel cursed under his breath. He threw his legs over the rickety hospital bed's edge in order to drop down to your side. The tubes taped into his arms yanked onto the place where he laid moments earlier. Thankfully, they didn't break or rip out of his arms. There was no way the hospital could afford to replace an IV holder given the cheap box TV hanging in the upper corner of his room or the tacky, aged, and washed out plastic curtains.

He draped a long, lanky arm over your back and wrapped you in a hug. "They didn't injure me that bad. You're just--"

 

_"Shit!"_

 

_"Daniel?"_

 

Your hands tightly gripped your (h/c) locks. Hissing, you muttered, "Don't lie to me. I heard your screaming. I heard them. I heard your bones breaking."

 

_"Just go! I'll be okay! I promise!"_

 

_"Daniel, I won't!"_

 

"If I had just done what they said, no one would have been hurt!" Your teeth felt like they would snap, crack, and disintegrate into powder under the immense pressure your locked jaw put on them.

 

_"You don't have time to argue. Just listen to me one last time!"_

 

_"Daniel, no."_

 

"But everything turned out fine." He said in an eerily, calm tone.

 

_"Daniel......"_

 

Befuddled by his nonchalant attitude, you were brought back to your senses. Nose overrun with drippy snot, tears soaked your patchy red skin and further added to your disheveled form. "What do you mean?"

 

_"I'm sorry."_

 

He smiled, genuinely. His fingers rubbed soothing circles into your back, mimicking the comforting gesture David performed hours prior. "They forgave me."

You, still breathing erratically, gaped like a fish. Swallowing pained you, but you did it anyway and asked in a pathetic squeak, "They what?"

His other hand landed on your shoulder. Something swirled in his eyes. Something you couldn't identify. The dull, doll like look of them sparked the familiar fear of being caught. His hand patted your shoulder. Shuffling closer, he leaned in as though he were telling you a classified, unrepeatable secret and whispered, "They'll forgive you too. They've been hoping and waiting and praying for you to come home." His hand landed on your cheek and slowly caressed it. "I've been waiting for you to come home too."

Oh.

Fuck.

You shook your head. The toothy grin stretched at your shaken denial. Like he had with the nurse, he tilted his head at an odd angle. The crack made you wince. "No? What do you mean no?"

Trapped. Fighting the urge to hyperventilate, you licked your dry lips and choked out, "I--"

Suddenly, the lamp which illuminated the room flickered. The switch between the darkness and light would have been nauseating had you not been on the cusp of being dragged back to the life you so desperately needed escape from.

However annoying the change was, it seemed to snap the blonde out of his maniacal daze.

Daniel blinked several times, a conscious twinkle presided in his eyes unlike the dull, lifeless appearance they upheld before. "(Name).....what did I just...." Reading the terror on your face, he easily guessed the mind boggling bullshit he spewed that happened to unnerve you. "I'm sorry."

"Did they......do that to you?" A soft inquiry that held heavy implications.

Daniel couldn't look you in the eyes. He stared at his hands which he rested on his lap. When a short silence passed, he sighed, "Yeah. They really kicked the control up a notch right after they caught me. Before that, I could resist and fight it, but now," he closed his eyes, "I can't even remember what happens between episodes." He grimaced, a hand flying to the back of his head. On the spot you smacked him over. "Truth be told, I can't even remember how I got here."

As much as you wanted to trust him wholly, you couldn't take that chance. Depending on what he was going to do, you and Clementine might have needed to go on the run later that same night.

"Here? As in the hospital?"

He nodded. "It's all muddled to hell."

A debate raged in your head. Do you tell him YOU'RE the reason he's in the hospital because he tried killing the children of the camp you worked at or keep your cards close to your chest? 'Give him a break.' Your forgiving side argued. 'He wasn't even in control of his actions.' You chewed on your lower lip as the man groaned. 'But if he flips out again, he'll use that info against me. Everything will be for nothing then.'

"You may or may not have tried killing my friend."

A little bit of both might work to pacify him, if you played him like you knew you were capable of.

His brows nearly touched his hairline. Mortified, he stammered, "I-I w-what?"

"You tried killing my friend." You slowly stated, searching his body language for any sign of offense or anger. "So I kinda gave you a concussion after you drank some poisoned juice."

Not wanting to elaborate, you wiped the stray tears from your face and got to your feet. You dusted off your tights before offering Daniel a hand of which he gladly accepted. Either he was so embarrassed he couldn't bring himself to speak or he was contemplating his next move. Regardless, the two of you fixed the tipped over IVs and unkempt bed. By the grace of whatever God was out there, none of his tubes broke even though they were overextended and pulled taut.

As he climbed into bed, he peeked at you from his peripheral. Truly, you'd outgrown the expectations everyone had for you appearance wise. Sure, you'd won just about every beauty pageant you had ever participated in by a landslide, but now? If you ever did chose to go back to that life, you'd blow everyone out of the water before the competition even started. All those years spent perfecting your posture and walking style were still ingrained in you, but he couldn't ignore the tired aura you gave off. You evolved as much as you stayed the same. A strange paradox, but it fit.

In a mix of grace and sloth, you moved across the room to stand by his bedside. Knowing that he had spooked you by the tense movements you made and the way you carefully studied him, Daniel had to find a way to placate you. He refused to let the unexpected, yet happy reunion be ruined by his actions.

"Hey (Name)." He had you attention. "I.....I don't know what I said, but it's clearly bothering you." Your head fell a bit, guilt seeping into your expression. "I just wanted to say that no matter what I said, I'm glad to see that you made it out. Survived against all the odds." He forced a smile through the sting of tears that threatened to spill. "It's good to know that my sacrifice was worth it. It's a relief."

He flipped one of his hands to make his palm parallel to the ceiling. An unspoken plea you answered with gusto. You laid your hand in his, gripping it tightly. Hardships plagued the newfound freedom you gained. Every incident turned more sour than the one before. Flying through life without someone you trusted by your side was more difficult than you could have possibly imagined. For a long time, you were more alone than you were when you were trapped in a life you knew you couldn't live. Wandering through the land, yet running from your past was all you knew and with no one to share your troubles with, despair ate at your will to fight.

Then you met Lee and Clementine.

'I'm happy too.' You smiled, but said nothing.

Before anything else could be said, clicking footsteps and a loud whoosh shattered the comfortable air. Bright, piercing light filtered past the draw curtain. A woman's silhouette held the aged piece of plastic back. "Another visitor, Sir."

A taller, lankier form awkwardly shuffled past her. You squinted from the difference in lighting to spot the familiar fiery red tuft of unruly hair. David was back from his bathroom break. Oddly enough, reassurance flooded your system and you felt yourself relax. You made a move to warn David about the half dried up puddle, but a firm squeeze planted you in your spot.

"You would not believe it, Pam." Out with the relaxed slump of your shoulders, in with the tense posture. "The bathrooms on this floor were out of order, so I had to use the downstairs one. Turns out, there's only two stalls, and both were taken. The wait wasn't too long, but I hope I didn't leave you alone for a while." He stopped right next to you, gaze lingering on your connected hands. His face scrunched. Confusion flashed in his eyes as his lips curled into the tiniest of frowns.

Your eyes shot to Daniel's. 'Go with it!' You mentally chanted. 'Please, GOD, LET HIM GO WITH IT."

"Who are you?" Curt, blunt, and cold, tones Daniel never used with you. The glare he held burned flaming holes straight through David. He didn't acknowledge the fact David used an entirely different name and you were happily cheering in your head. Of course, his arduous attitude towards David was overkill, but at the moment, you cared more about keeping your identity hidden.

The head counselor was taken back.

"He's David. My friend, the one you tried to....." a quick check over your shoulder to make sure the nurse didn't overhear anything proved successful, "....kill. You tried killing him earlier today. I did what I had to to stop you."

Daniel hummed, never taking his dark glower off of David. His eyes scanned the harmless red head, then darted over your form. He quietly assessed the relationship merely through the cozy body language between you two. Fighting a snarl and failing, the blonde propped himself up to speak. You recognized the mischievous gleam in his eyes, but were too slow to prevent the man from making David uncomfortable. "So, David," he drawled, "how do you know my good friend.....Pam?"

Sweating bullets was describing it lightly.

"Oh, we work together at Camp Campbell!" David jovially answered, swinging his fist in his usual fashion to add onto his already animated personality. "Pam is a great co-counselor if I do say so myself." He draped an arm over your shoulders, earning an intensified glare.

"Uh-huh." Piercing blue eyes stabbed into green ones. He tilted his head, practically barking, "You two aren't fucking right?"

That was enough to make you rip your hand free of Daniel's grip. David's face was a deep scarlet as he struggled to address the terse, ungracious question. You doubted the poor guy had ever even kissed a girl until you remembered the previous night. Bonquisha definitely wore the pants, no ifs, ands, or buts. Still, there was a minuscule, unidentifiable twinge somewhere deep in your gut.

Snorting to break the tension, you cleared your throat and snapped, "Daniel, that's seriously uncalled for. Not to mention, extremely personal." "That's not a no." "No, we're not. He has a girlfriend."

Daniel glanced at David for confirmation. Stiffly, the Stringbean nodded. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and held it up to Daniel's face. The blonde wordlessly approved of the evidence and waved the device out of his space.

"Uhhh....." David shook his discomfort away and donned his refreshing smile. He attempted to change the topic. "H-How are you feeling Daniel?"

The blond ignored him, blatantly.

"Erm, do- how do you know Pam?" Was the best David could think of.

"None of your business."

"I.....why not?"

Daniel's eyes focused on you. "It's something you'd never understand."

For the first time ever, you saw David's patience dwindling thin. His brows furrowed and his frown deepened. Having never seen David truly angry before, you could only watch the spectacle as it unfolded.

"How so?" David inquired as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Subtly, the red haired man inched between you and Daniel, providing a barrier that should have been made to protect him. To protect him from Daniel's cold fury expertly disguised as smug cockiness. "You don't look the type to invest in deep relationships." Full offense crossed David's features. "How many childhood friends are you still in contact with?" "I-....a fe-...." "Exactly."

"W-Well, I-I don't need to know y-your backstory to understand that you g-guys are longtime friends--"

"We're not just longtime friends." Daniel interjected. "She's my best friend, so if you could move along and let us reconnect without stupid questions, that'd be fantastic."

Something flared in David's chest. Unable to bite back the response, he quickly stated, "Best friends don't fall out of contact. Can you really call yourself her best friend if you don't talk anymore?"

Searing anger rolled off of Daniel in waves. You felt yourself cower from the frigid stare which bore into David. Surprisingly, the camp man didn't waver in his tall stance. Daniel's cracked lips pulled into a dangerous snarl. "Get. Out." His neck turtled as he grew more tense by the second. He was bound to snap at any moment. The poor recipient had no idea what was about to hit him, but you refused to let Daniel strike David.

"Look," you started, wedging yourself between David and Daniel, "We can talk for a little more, but we have to get back to work after this." You peered up at David, patting his shoulder. "Wait for me? In the car?"

Apprehension traveled freely through the red head. He cast a wary eye at Daniel, who sneered silently. The jingling of keys caught his attention. He met your pleading gaze and felt guilt twinge in his chest. You were probably excited to see someone you hadn't seen in a long time, and he went and ruined it. After the two of you made up, he blew it again. To make amends....

"I will."

You weren't one of idle threats nor empty promises; he could trust your word.

"Thank you."

You watched the lanky guy saunter out of the room, breathing a sigh of relief that you managed to diffuse the situation before it could spiral further out of control. You felt bad for driving David out so suddenly, but it was for the best.

Daniel's snickering irked you. "All these years later and you're still a prick to people for no reason." You pointed out, arms crossed out of frustration.

"He shouldn't have questioned our bond like that." Daniel nonchalantly remarked, eyes still trained on the swaying curtain. "Nosy guy. Asking inappropriate questions he shouldn't be asking." The blonde tutted, shaking his with disapproval.

Your eye twitched. "Daniel, you asked us if we were fucking. That's highly invasive and disrespectful on so many levels."

"I still have to look out for you, you know." His impossibly long arm stretched out and his hand plopped atop your skull. He gently rubbed your hair, ruffling it slightly. "It'll always be my job to protect you, Bambi."

Now that's a name you hadn't heard in about a century. Embarrassed, your face burned and you swatted Daniel's hand away. "Oh my God. I c-can't believe you remember that! You said-...no, SWORE you'd never call me that again."

He chuckled, laying his hand onto his lap. "Only if we made it out together. Clearly we didn't, so deal's off."

Slapping his arm and earning a harder laugh, you pouted, "Jerk...." A swift peek at the clock urged you to finish up. Sadness draped over you. You weren't ready to go yet, but David still needed to cover Gwen's rounds and it was getting late. The drive back wouldn't take long thankfully.

"(Name), why did he call you Pam?" Daniel's voice pulled you back to reality.

You sighed, eyes drifting to the window. "It's......kind of a long story. I don't have the time today, but I'll be back soon. I'll fill you in on.....what happened." You almost blurted 'everything' until the recollection of his wicked ways flickered in the back of your mind.

"So soon?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"When will you be back?"

"Whenever I can."

With that, you gave him a quick hug and jogged out of the room. Down the stairs and past the kind receptionist who waved at you. Flashing a grateful smile, you waved back and trotted out into the warm evening air.

Trust him, you did. Not wholly though. You still needed to keep your cards close to your chest.

Until you were sure of his alliance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is David OOC? Oh well, I tried. Anyways, sorry for the long hiatus. I went to Mexico for the rest of January, then got roped into something in February. School's been a bitch, but hey, what's new? Hope you enjoyed this. Expect more soon.


	6. Keeping Secrets

Quiet ringing droned on for minutes long. After a few prolonged moments, a monotone, feminine voice stated that Gwendolyn couldn't answer the phone, but she'd return a call as quickly as she could. You closed your eyes and sighed, tapping the red button and dropping the cell phone onto your chest. Turning your gaze to David's phone, name of the woman who pulled a surprisingly successful vanishing act seemingly mocked you the longer you stared.

Despite the overwhelming fact she hadn't answered the past several times you attempted to make contact with her, the outraged half of you was determined to receive some sort of answer.

Might as well give it another shot.

Following a few beeps, the same voice repeated the same message. You huffed and set David's phone on your stomach, crossing your arms over your chest.

Squeakily, the counselor cabin's door swung open, revealing a cheery David who hummed a similarly joyful tune. "I can confidently say that today was a success!" The lanky man stopped his energetic marching when he saw you laying on the couch silently. Worry etched onto his features. He took a seat in the battered armchair and asked, "She still hasn't answered?"

"No. She hasn't." Glaring heatedly at the ceiling, you muttered, "She's got some nerve."

"That's strange." He rubbed his chin. "She doesn't usually answer the phone when I call, so that may have something to do with it." He glanced out the window, observing the starry night sky. "Maybe her phone is dead."

Frowning, you plucked the phone off your stomach and handed it to the red haired man. Keeping your tone as even as possible was key. "David, it's been four days since she left. Gwen's phone never drops under 50%. I think it's safe to say she's ignoring us, especially at this hour." The odds of Gwen being up and binging another trashy reality TV show or sleeping was 50/50. Either way, she wasn't going to divulge the two of you with her precious alone time now that she'd had a taste of freedom from Camp Campbell.

Noting your sour expression, the red head pocketed his phone and jumped to his feet. "We'll try again in the morning." David stated in a sing song tone while patting your shoulder. "For now, we should get some rest. It's just the two of us for a bit longer until Gwen comes back!" You tried to fight the grimace and whispers blaming your actions behind David's back for Gwen's disappearance.

"Trying to sleep when you're not tired is a chore." You said, slowly sitting up. "And you're never tired, like....ever."

He laughed, "Well, I could never get tired of Camp Campbell! I love it too much!" You muttered in agreement with the lanky man. When his lively giggling died down, he wore a grin and said, "But if you want to, we can talk 'till you are tired Pam."

Normally, you would have declined the offer and suffered from the inability to sleep as you had for the past few nights, but decided you wanted some reprieve. "Alright," you said, "what do you want to talk about? Camp activities probably right?"

David chuckled. Shaking his head, he replied, "I would love to, but we can talk about that tomorrow." He plopped down next to you on the couch. "I've been meaning to ask you...." He trailed off.

Your head fell to the side, resting on your shoulder as you stared at David's face. His eyes were trained on his muddy boots. Thumbs twirling, he seemed reluctant to finish his sentence. You cleared your throat and asked, "You've been meaning to ask me about what?"

"About Daniel." Oof.

"You two seemed like you knew each other pretty well." Double oof.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but how did you two fall out of contact?" Triple oof.

Shifting uncomfortably, you bit your lip and looked into the furthest corner of the room. Without realizing it, you nodded slowly as you pieced a believable story together. "Uhhhh....." You gulped. "It's a long story." You hesitantly glanced at David from your peripheral, noting the spark of interest in his posture. "It might bore you to death if I'm honest."

"No, no! I'm all ears." He chirped, waving his hands.

"Okay, so, we met when we were kids because our parents worked at the same law firm. At first, we didn't get along because of the age difference. If I remember correctly, he should be your age which is....24. Yeah, anyways, the gap was pretty big. Eight years doesn't leave a lot of similar interests and whatnot. We were at each other's throats constantly when our parents weren't looking. Petty remarks here, name calling there, a dash of footsies during dinner every Friday became routine for a year. Our parents went out every weekend to go party, gamble, watch sports, or whatever else you can think of. It went on for years, so I was left to babysit Daniel and deal with his annoying antics. I can't remember when we stopped trying to kill each other, but I think we were both resigned to our parent's will.

"They even went as far as to put us in the same school despite we were in totally different grades. I adapted pretty well and made some friends, but Daniel was too....high maintenance for the kids in his grade to handle. They pretty much made him an outcast. I mean, he did it to himself with the way he treated them. His attitude is unbearable if you don't have the ba-....gall to stand up to him. He didn't mind being on his own until everyone started bullying him. I didn't hear about it and he never told his parents either. I did start seeing him around more often. He even came to me and my friends and started talking without insulting us. I didn't realize it was because he wanted some form of protection against the kids who chased him around and antagonized him.

"They eventually found him with us one day during lunch. They tried tricking us into letting them drag him off. Then it all made sense. The bruises, the cuts, and his demeanor. I don't remember being mad, but apparently I snapped that day. Gave all the kids who were there a beating they'd never forget. It was so bad, they called everyone involved up to the office to figure out what happened. According to the nurse, I broke one kid's nose, gave two others black eyes, and another lost two front teeth. Even though we had witnesses to back us up, we both got booted from the school. It wasn't too devastating. After that, we got pretty close. He was like a little brother to me. All was well until....."

You cut yourself off, unsure of how to proceed with the already fake story. The pause also added to the tension you hoped would make it all the more real and believable to David. Not that he'd be suspicious, you just wanted extra insurance.

Clearly, he was hooked. His eyes were wide and he nodded every so often. The pause garnered the reaction you wanted. "Until what?" He asked curiously.

"Until I had Lola at 22." You answered with a sigh. "Everything went topsy turvy after everyone found out I was pregnant. It was a drunk one night stand with some guy who's name I don't even remember. I had a falling out with my parents over it. They wanted me to give her up for adoption, but I refused to do that. Everyone shunned our family, so they told me to pack my shit and go. You know, social standings and all that jazz. Daniel was crushed to put it lightly. I was his only friend and I just abandoned him with no warning really. Even though he was still in high school, I was his only real friend. The last time we ever spoke, we got into a huge spat that ended with him calling me a 'stupid whore who got knocked up by some no-name, penniless, ugly bastard' before slamming the door in my face. His parents were watching the whole exchange."

David frowned. Head tilted, his tone became inquisitive as he questioned, "They didn't say anything?"

You shook your head. "No, I think they encouraged it, if anything. I didn't find out until later, but they wanted him and I to be an item which is wildly inappropriate considering the age difference and how we saw each other."

Silence reigned over the two of you. You flinched when a gentle hand laid on your knee. Sorrow written in his features, David said, "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that alone, especially at such a young age. I couldn't imagine what it was like to have no one be there for you."

Oddly enough, guilt chomped away at your usually unwavering resolve. The true story was easily far worse than the tall tale you invented and David looked like he was on the verge of crying his eyes out. God forbid you ever get around to actually telling him the truth. Not even Clementine knew the whole truth. She was smart and capable of understanding what actually happened, and you planned on telling her soon, but you held off. She deserved to have a few months of peace instead of living on the run. She'd learn the rest of the story soon, however.

"Thank you, David. But it wasn't as hard as it could have been." You truthfully answered. "After his angry rant, Daniel handed me an envelope with about $10,000 in cash. That helped me more than anything else. And besides, I was never alone. I had Lola with me the whole time."

Surprise crossed David's face, but quickly left. A warm smile took its place. "That's a beautiful way to look at it."

Thankfully, his eyes were closed, so he missed the red dusting your cheeks. You rubbed the hot skin and mumbled, "I'm just glad I have a chance to reconcile with Daniel. He was an important part of my life, and I'd hate to waste this opportunity."

"I agree!" He sung, clapping his hands together. "It's healthy to let go of your anger towards someone and forgive them. Second chances are scarce nowadays."

Yawning, you stretched your arms to the sky. They slowly lowered to your sides, relaxed and exhausted. You slumped against the couch's soft pillows, closed your eyes, and said, "I think telling that story really wore me out. I'm ready for bed."

"Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

You winced. The sentiment hit harder than you thought it would have, harder than it should have.

"Thank you for listening."

 

 

**BAM**

**BAM**

**BAM**

**BANG**

**BANG**

**BANG**

 

The first wall rattling smack was enough to make you jolt out of bed. Thrashing under the covers flung the poor Walkman into an obscure corner of the room. You heard it clatter in the distance as you lurched forward, frantically scanning the room for the source of the noise. Flailing limbs, locks of frazzled hair, and entombing sheets constricting your legs made you flop flat on your face. Groaning, the incessant pounding became a mentally internal one along with the physically external one.

"Wake the FUCK UP Pam!" Someone rather familiar hissed threateningly.

Your mind whirled from the jerky movement, but you managed to sit up and glance to your left. The shaken agape expression you wore changed in an instant. Vexed, your lips closed into a snarl, eyes glaring at the figure standing outside your window.

"Final-FUCKING-ly!" Gwen stated with relief.

Oh. Wow.

Her hands were thrown into the air. "Care to open the window? It's kinda hot out here and I'm tired of fanning myself. Driving for almost a week straight is hard on the wrists."

Saying nothing, you merely glowered at her, still partially cocooned at the hips down by the forest green blankets. Rendered immobile and flabbergasted by her sudden appearance, you shook your head to move the stray wisps of unruly bed head.

"Uhhhh, Pam?" Gwen rolled her eyes and, though muffled, said, "I don't want the Jolly Green Camp Man to see me yet, so can you get off your ass, on your feet, and let me in?"

You did.

Begrudgingly.

Not bothering to mask your temper, you ripped the sheets off your legs, muttering a stream of curses under your breath as you stomped over to the window. In a fluid motion powered by anger, you threw the window open and glared at the lanky woman. The looks of death you gave her were brushed aside in favor of her giddy smiles and mood.

"Oh man. You were so right about taking some time off. I needed it." She rambled, waving her hands around, comically unaware of your furious aura. "I found a bunch if I jobs to apply to. Ones that hadn't already rejected me twice over. I sat down, applied to all of them, and my phone has been ringing nonstop. I even lost track of all the people who called. I got, like, twelve interviews booked and done. I have five more coming up today." She couldn't stop grinning as she gripped your shoulders and shook you like a rag doll. "I can finally escape this god forsaken dump of a camp and not waste the rest of my summer looking after these brats. Argh, Pam, I never would have been able to do this without you!" She paused, eyes honing in on your bare legs. "K, totally off topic, but you have AMAZING legs--"

"Gwen." Your sharp hiss caused her to freeze.

"Sorry. It's true." She admitted with the lightest of blushes dusting her golden brown cheeks.

Sweeping your messy hair out of your face, you frowned. "Not that. I'm not mad about that." Her troubled expression softened. It quickly warped into one of guilt as you said, "I'm livid that you dropped off the map for FOUR days without telling me. You didn't even tell David! He's been asking me way too many questions and I almost told him what you were up to."

Her amethyst colored irises wobbled. She swallowed the knot in her throat and whispered, "Did you?!" "No." She relaxed. "Good."

"Why didn't you answer my calls?"

She raised a brow. "I thought you didn't have a phone."

"I don't." Sufficiently cooled off, you backed off the slender woman and started tidying your room. The neglected blanket was draped on the bed as you explained, "David asked me to call you using his phone even though he knew you wouldn't answer."

"Oh, I ignore David's calls." She shrugged when you snorted humorlessly. "I got fed up with his check ins after the third day of camp starting. If I knew it was you, I would have answered."

"That means so much." You deadpanned.

"Wait." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So you didn't get the note I left you?" Staring blankly at her, you shook your head, prompting her to stiffen. "In the couch where you hid the keys?" Again, you shook your head. The made her pale and sweat. "Are you serious? Have you checked? Did you even check? Pam?"

"I did."

Both of you fell silent as peppy foot steps paraded down the hall outside your door. Right on cue, the bathroom door creaked open and the shower spewed ice cold water. David's singing floated through the cabin. First, Gwen looked at you. Then she looked at the door. You, the door, you, the door, you. She gripped the doorknob and twisted it, carefully rushing out of your room and towards her target. You followed suit. She ground her teeth and started ripping the cushions off each couch. When they were stripped of their removable pieces, she hissed and dropped to her knees, sticking her arm into the cracks of the chairs. Finding nothing, she pressed her cheek to the floor and lifted the furniture off the ground. Dust bunnies, pennies, crumbs, and bottle caps were revealed to the open air.

"It's not here." She whispered after setting the last armchair down. "Pam, what the hell? You don't think...." As she trailed off, she cast her nervous gaze at the bathroom.

You scrunched your nose. "No. No, he would have said something to me if he found a note."

"And he won't find out," a voice interjected, "as long as you cooperate with me."

Max leaned against the doorway, one hand in his hoodie pocket, the other raised up with a folded slip of paper between his index and middle finger. He sported a smug grin. Gwen froze in her place, slumped on the ground in defeat. You were stuck at the hallway entrance, caught between listening in on what Max was about to say and what David was currently doing. Favoring David's singing, you turned your head to hear better. His lyrics indicated that the shower was going to end soon. Both of them needed to scram, quick.

When you glanced back at the clever ten year old and your coworker, you saw him smirk triumphantly. Gwen shrunk under his demands. Her face was slick with sweat, tears, and snot, but as you approached, she stopped crying.

"Unless you both want to get caught by David, I suggest taking a hike." You murmured, waving both annoyances out the front door. Gwen jogged off before you could get another word in, but Max coolly stalked out, pausing a few feet away from you. He stuffed the note back into his pocket.

His slow head crane to leer up at you raised concern. A trademark mischievous, toothy smile versus a suspicious, tired frown.

"Meet me at the amphitheater in ten."

You slammed the door shut.

"H-Hello?" David's meek voice called out over the rushing water. "Who's there?"

Throwing the door to your room open, you sauntered in and responded, "Just me David." His sigh of relief did nothing to quell the bubbling anger in your stomach. How this shitshow kicked off, you wanted to forget. "I'm taking a walk. Be back whenever." You didn't wait for his answer. Skipping your morning stretches, you got dressed and strode out of the cabin.

The dewy morning would have been refreshing and enjoyable, but your soured mood ruined any possible happiness that might have come from the little walk you took. No time for dawdling. Setting a brisk pace, you passed the Mess Hall and ignored the grumbling Quartermaster who carried a dripping plastic bag.

Max's hoodie stood out from the scarlet curtains behind him. The Cheshire grin he beamed with heightened your mental defenses. Odds were he would try to nab any cash you had on you in exchange for his silence.

Steeling yourself for the head games the ten year old wanted to play with you wasn't hard. Deep even breaths and counting to three helped quell your nerves. Your anger masked to the best of your expertise and ability, the words poured out smooth and nonchalant, "Alright Max, what do you want?"

He didn't even look at you. "Cutting to straight to the chase, huh?" He was more interested in the health and cleanliness of his nails as he jeered, "Slow down and take a seat."

"I'd rather not. Either you talk or I'm walking."

Max threw his hands up defensively. "Relax, Pam. I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

"If moods were something you cared about, you wouldn't be tormenting David every chance you get." You paused before adding, "And Gwen too." You glanced at his hoodie pocket, wondering how he came to possess the note Gwen left behind. "Speaking of which, what did you say to her?"

"I didn't say much to poor, old Gwen." He lamented, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "All she has to do is bring me something I want. I don't know what it is, but she has to bring it to me before tomorrow or else."

You peered over your shoulder, spotting her figure scampering across the Mess Hall in a tizzy. "You sent her on a wild goose chase? Why?"

"No reason."

You rolled your eyes. The faintest trace of anxiety laced his rushed statement. His nervous shifting gave it away too. Still, you didn't press him on it. Quite frankly, you didn't think it was your business to intrude.

When Max realized you weren't going to pander to his subtle hints, he sighed forlornly, "Man, David is gonna be so disappointed when he finds out Gwen is trying to get a new job." He closed his eyes and shrugged. "But the worst part? You helped her and hid it from him too. That's gonna crush him."

Okay, NOW it was your place to sniff around.

Heart rate picking up speed at the slightest bit, you asked, "You're going to tell him I helped?"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that. I won't tell him you were an accomplice, IF-" You raised a brow "-IF you answer a couple of questions I have. Nothing serious, just curiosity. Ya know?"

"Questions about what?"

"Questions. You did say that A part of you - the seething half - demanded that you blow up and encourage him to tattle on you. Max wouldn't see it coming and the bluff might work, but the other half whispered for you to remain calm.

Not for your sake, but hers.

Freaking out over nothing might bring worse consequences. Convincing yourself you were too tired to risk it and face the repercussions of David's invoked wrath upon discovering the truth about Gwen's disappearance, you went along with Max's list of inquiries. The worst he could ask was about the numbers to the credit card you didn't have or password to a phone you didn't own.

Besides, you wanted to revel in Gwen's panic. Revenge was a dish best served by someone else. And Max was quite the cruel little bastard when he wanted to be, which was more often than not.

"Okay." Max perked up, grinning. "I'll answer your questions."

The little shit rubbed his hands together. Snickering quietly, Max said, David mentioned something about you knowing Daniel." Your brows jumped to the middle of your forehead. You felt your face growing warm. Of all things to ask about. OF ALL THINGS. Body language was important, so you forced yourself to calm down and stay loose. Head tilted, you pressed your lips into an unimpressed frown. Max kept his smug attitude. "Wanna tell me what that was about?"

You shrugged. "Ancient history. Not much else." You replied. Max's dissatisfied scowl elicited an amused laugh from you. "What? Too vague?"

"Yes."

"He's an old family friend." That much was true.

Max nodded. "Oh, just a family friend?"

"Yes."

He glared. "Just casually friends with a psycho murdering cult guy?"

Extending your neck, you loudly repeated, "Yes."

"Clementine said she didn't have a clue who that was." You couldn't control your jaw going rigid. Max detected the slight movement and laughed. "So you've got a secret past you're keeping from us huh?" His laughter faded to a dead serious tone. "You shouldn't keep secrets Pam."

Years of acting easily assisted in remaining composed in the face of interrogation. Rather dismissively, you said, "Oh, you don't like that I have 'secrets'. Well Maximus, what secrets do you think I'm hiding?"

"Hmmm, my guess is that you're Daniel's psycho murdering partner and you're going to team up to wipe us all out in our sleep starting with David."

You blinked and waited for his actual explanation. Nothing happened. He kept steadfast in his declaration. You weren't sure if you wanted to burst out laughing or groan from the stupidity. Smart and deductive as he could be, Max had his fair share of foolish moments. Deciding to test the waters, you raised your hands in defeat, gasping dramatically, "How did you ever find me out?"

Max flinched. "Wait, really?"

Snickering in disbelief, you shook your head and muttered, "Creative, but dumb, even for you Max. Like, c'mon. If I was really working with Daniel all this time, why would I wait months to kill you. In your sleep no less?"

He squinted, hands raised and open. His gaping mouth snapped shut as he scowled. Lowly, he growled, "You got me there." Gwen's distressed cries made the both of you break the staredown. "The show is starting." He hopped off the stage, sauntering past you. "But don't think this ends here." An accusatory finger point later, he exclaimed, "Something ain't right here. You and Daniel being friends. You showing up and stopping him in time. This is fishy and I'm gonna get to the bottom of it!"

Irked, you crossed your arms over your chest and stated, "Cl-...Lola called me. That's how I got back in time, you little cretin."

Max halted his dandy stride. "Lola called you?" You nodded and reaffirmed your statement. He shot you a knowing smirk over his shoulder. "You don't have a phone, Pam." Your blood ran cold. You were _this_ close to slapping yourself, but tightened your fist instead, silently glowering at the cocky ten year old. He cackled. "Uh-huh. Thought so. I'm onto you. I've got my eyes on you."

Minutes rolled by since he vanished into the Mess Hall and you were still frozen to your spot, breathing heavily as panic crawled into the pits of your chest and the crevices of your mind. Your hands trembled, especially your fingers. Your knees started to knock and staying upright became the most difficult physical activity next to breathing. Your knuckles had gone pale unlike your flushed cheeks.

You could hardly think straight. Instinct told you to run, flee before things escalated. Even if Max tried pursuing information on a 32 years old Pamela Newburg from Rhode Island, he wouldn't find anything. Can't find anything on someone who doesn't exist. Running insinuated guilt, but that didn't matter so long as your secrets stayed secrets.

Secrets, a blessing and a curse.

Thoughts of pre-planned routes and safe houses scattered when a familiar face cautiously approached you. Concern written all over her expression, she whispered, "(Name)? What's wrong?"

Your gaze that had burned down at the dirt under your feet softened as you looked up at Clementine.

The option of fleeing felt invalidated.

Were you going to let some little shit unknowingly take advantage of your paranoia and ruin what was supposed to be the one summer Clementine could remember fondly among the sea of terrible memories? Absolutely not. Determination replaced fear. You wiped the sweat that rolled down the side of your face away. Evening your ragged breaths, you set a hand on her shoulder and nodded.

There was one thing left to do.

There was no guarantee things would go smoothly, but she deserved to know. All these years of accepting the ambiguous grains of truth to your past needed to come to an end.

"Clem, there's some things you should know." You tore your stare from her honey colored eyes and refocused in onto the distant hiding spot of your car. Sternly, you added, "And someone you need to meet. Properly this time."


	7. Clarification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, not sorry for the exposition dump. This chapter would have been out sooner, but eh, it's here now.

The hastily scribbled note detailing your sudden unknown ailment would easily sway David into forgiving you on such short notice. Sneaking in and out of the counselor's cabin sans being seen wasn't as difficult as you thought it'd be. Keys in hand, you were in and out in a flash. 

Guilt chewed and nibbled on your conscience, refraining from swallowing it whole until you left the camp premises. Leaving David on his own would certainly send the campers into chaotic overdrive. Between Gwen's quest for some random object and David's pushover nature, you doubted the camp wouldn't be eviscerated by the time you got back. The ashes swept away by the evening summer breeze. Then your efforts would be for naught. 

Clementine was already in the car waiting patiently for you. She greeted you with a gentle smile. Climbing into the driver's seat while shoving the foliage out of the way, you sent one last glance in the direction of the camp. You were hesitant to leave David on his own. Last time, it resulted in everyone almost being poisoned by a madman who just so happened to be an old acquaintance of yours. 

Regardless, Clementine came first, always. Shaking off your worries, you buckled up, started the car and backed out of the hidden grotto. 

Destination: the hospital. 

The journey started in silence. 

Mostly so you could piece together how you were going to explain in depth the bits and pieces of what Clementine already knew. Given the general isolation of Camp Campbell's location, you were allowed to drive as slowly as you wanted. The road was as expansive as the woods that stretched for miles. Scenic and tranquil, you indulged in the peaceful moment, knowing the recollection of memories would destroy your mood for the foreseeable future. 

You shifted in the seat, licking your lips as you took a breath. Fingers drumming against the leather wheel, you started, "Clementine, I......." Words were hard to find. Constructing a coherent sentence was harder. "What do you know about me?" 

So you'd let her give you somewhere to begin.

You saw her tilt her head in confusion, raising a brow. She was quiet for a moment before muttering, "Like, you you? Or..." 

"Me me." 

She nodded. "Okay, well, I know that you're real name is (Name) Vanderweele. I know that you're twenty years old. I know that you used to do pageants as a kid. Then, something happened and you had to run away. And that's how Lee and I met you."

'Wow. We've been together how long and that's all I've told her?' You shook your head and stared ahead. 

"Pretty basic, right?" She hummed in agreement. You laughed, cutting your half amused gesture off before you said, "Not all of that is right though." Gulping, your heart pounded as you asked, "Will you be mad with me when I tell you the truth? Be honest." 

She scratched her cheek. "I mean, it depends...." Out of your peripheral, you saw Clementine frown. "....but you probably have a good reason for not telling me so I don't think I'll get too mad." 

"One more thing," your mouth was dry out of fear just thinking of what you were about to offer, "when you hear this, you don't have to stay with me." Her shocked, wide eyed stare almost elicited a snicker from you. Sighing, you said, "I'm serious. I meant it all these years just like I mean it now. You'd be safer with someone else looking after you. Happier too. Like kids are supposed to be. Instead of moving every few months and changing names and leaving people behind." 

"Do you want me to leave?" 

"No." You admitted without missing a beat or a breathe to spare. Your head had snapped to face her, eyes enlarged and teeth clenched. "No, I don't want you to go. But what I want doesn't matter. What matters is that you're happy and safe."

She smiled. "Then I'm not going anywhere." Slumping into her seat, she closed her eyes and breathed, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." 

Reassurance. Something you craved and she readily supplied you. You knew it was genuine, but she sure knew how to manipulate your strings if she so pleased. Accepting her reply as nothing but the truth, you nodded and grinned. The grin fell as quickly as it came. Some details might need to be watered down since she was only ten and a half. With one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the door lock controls, you said, "Alright. Hold onto your butt. This is.....a long story.

"For staters, my name isn't (Name) Vanderweele. That's my adopted last name. From what I could scrounge up in my youth, my last name was actually (Last Name). The birth certificate was doctored, so on paper, my name was legally (Name) Vanderweele. I don't know what happened to my actual parents or where they went, but they sold me off. The people who adopted me used me to get famous. Pageants, dance competitions, musicals, recitals, everything. They pushed me as hard as they could. I used to eat, sleep, and shit the performing arts as a kid. It was fun for a bit and I liked it a lot, but they were crazy competitive over the smallest things. They didn't like to lose. At first, I didn't know why. I thought it was because they wanted the best for me since that's what they used to tell me. Then I found out why. I know it's going to sound....crazy, 'cause it is, but stick with me. 

"They wanted to join this cult. It required a certain level of fame and money. In other words, power. Control. Influence. Public sway. Somehow, I garnered enough attention to easily get them qualified. They were ecstatic to have us, especially since I was a star on the rise. To make more money, they paired me up with another kid from the cult for future competitions, but he ended up getting hurt at the last second, so they had someone else fill in. It wasn't supposed to work. It was a one time thing for a dance competition, but things went swimmingly. Better than expected. In fact, we won the whole tournament. Our chemistry was crazy for not knowing each other. He was the highest ranking member's son. His name was Dathaniel Pierre Samuel Du Pont. He preferred going by Daniel. He LOATHED his full name. 

"So, we have this unexpected synergy between us. Like, it was crazy. It felt like we knew each other without knowing each other. Of course, we blew everyone out of the water and won the competition by a long shot. There were even other cult member's kids participating and they didn't place anywhere near us. We definitely impressed the right people and rose to the top of the cult's ranks. But with that power came stronger obstacles. They tripled my work load to fit in time to nurture the bond I had with Daniel. The competitions got more competitive and less fun. Not that I couldn't handle it, I won every single thing I was entered in. That's what sucked the fun out of it. I couldn't goof around or make friends, the cult STRICTLY BANNED that. And I should have known better. During one of the competitions, this girl came up to me and befriended me. She mentioned how it was her dad's birthday and how she couldn't wait for him to see her win a crown. I.....threw the competition and got second place. She won first. My adopted parents were furious. They.....took care of her and told me what they had done as both punishment and motivation to win at all costs from that point on. I did what I could, and anyone who threatened my reign was terminated immediately. 

"Daniel ended up being the only friend I had. We depended on each other for just about everything. Two peas in a pod. Wherever he went, I was close to follow and vice versa. In the rare moments where our schedules weren't bogged down with practice or photo shoots, we used to think about what a life without grandeur would have been like. One night, he joked about running away from it all and I took it seriously. You know, dumb kid stuff. Since when has vowing to run away ever worked or solved anything? Anyways, I convinced him that we should run away, change our names, and live happily ever after. We concocted this plan to fake our deaths and use our baby teeth that fell out as proof that we were dead. We packed our bags over time so no one would get suspicious. A few cheap shirts and battered pants wouldn't land on a radar that might worry our parents. We still went along with their plans, winning competitions and whatnot. I even landed a few movie roles that ended up launching me into child stardom. I didn't understand at the time, but the more I obtained, the bigger the consequences. Those movie deals showed me an entirely different beast and the underbelly of the industry I wish I could forget. 

"Things got worse, more disgusting. With my success came a decision I couldn't believe I had to make. The cult leaders told my parents that in order for me to rise in to the highest levels of stardom and get the blessing of the cult's God like Daniel was going to, I'd have to....sacrifice another kid who held the same potential as I did. They already had the person and the date selected. It was a matter of getting me to do it. When my parents explained that this is what I've been working towards my whole life, they thought I'd just go with it. I didn't have a reason to object, they'd shown me what happens when I failed to reach their expectations. The fear was present, but I refused to kill someone for my own gain. Unsurprisingly, they were not happy to hear that. That night, I snuck off to Daniel's room. I complained and ranted to Daniel about it. He shared my sentiments, but he wasn't as resistant to his parent's demands. His nonchalant attitude about it scared the hell out of me. I did everything I could to try and sway him to not slaughter an innocent kid. He'd say one thing to appease me, yet act a totally different way in front of his parents. I dunno. The day came closer and I was stubborn on not going through with it. The night before, Daniel snuck into my room and said we had to leave immediately. 

"Hah.....I didn't question it. I wish I had. Something must have happened for his perspective to do a complete 180. Of course, I was glad to go. Nervous, but overjoyed. We grabbed our stuff and escaped through my window. It was raining, so the climb down was actually pretty dangerous. One slip and it meant plummeting five stories down face first into the pavement. We made it to the ground and booked it for the woods. We got in about half a mile before they were right on our tails. There was no way they could have known we ran off. No way. They got so close to finding us, we panicked and ran off the trail. The overgrown brush covered up the steep hill, so we tumbled down to the bottom. I was perfectly fine. Just a few scratches here and there, maybe a bruise or two on my legs. Daniel wasn't as lucky. He broke his leg. 

"We argued on what we should do. He wanted me to leave him behind, but I vehemently opposed that. They were closing in when he took out the money we saved and shoved it into my hands. He begged me to go. So I went. He dragged himself in the other direction so they wouldn't catch me. The whole way through the forest, I heard him scream and scream and scream as they beat the shit out of him. Last I saw was him being dragged off by two guys in white robes. He was limp, bloody, and broken. Honestly, I thought he was dead. The last guy continued chasing me for a while. There was nothing else I could do except run. Run like my life depended on it without looking back. That's what I did and that's what I've been doing for the past decade.

"Just.....running." 

A somber silence befell the two of you. Your eyes were glued to the road. Simply put, you couldn't bring yourself to look at her. No doubt she'd be horrified. Waiting for her response further upset your uneasy stomach. Tension thick and rife, you struggled to drive in a straight line. Fear gripped your throat, stealing the air from your lungs. 

The little town in the distance swelled as you grew nearer. Entering the ghost town called for you to slow your already turtle's pace drive. Her shaken breath made your gut flip. Moments later, she asked, "How old were you?"

"Eight." The leather wheel squeaked under your tightening hold. "I was eight. Daniel was twelve." 

"I'm....sorry." 

Another pregnant pause. There wasn't anything to say in reply. 

"I'm worried about Daniel." The hospital was in view thanks to the lack of traffic. You pulled into the parking lot and parked the car in the spot closest to the front entrance. The engine fell silent. "I'm glad he's alive, but there's something wrong with him. Just having him be here makes me nervous. Those assholes might be watching us now. But I know for a fact there's more to the story. I'm going to squeeze it out of him." 

"How?" 

"I have an idea, but just to be safe, don't come into the room until I say you can." Hopping out of the car, you slammed the car door shut and locked it behind you. She scampered to your side. You whispered, "I hope he's still on my side. If things don't sound right, we might have to go." 

Her frown and glum aura spoke for her. She didn't want to leave Camp Campbell. But if she wanted to stay with you, she'd have to give up the rest of her summer hiding out in some dinky apartment that belonged to an awkward young man. Ben - the poor guy - stumbled on every other word, avoided eye contact at all costs, and always sported a furiously bright blush that consumed his entire face. He was still in high school when Clementine first met him. He read to a group of kids every Friday as payment for losing too many library books. 

Even in her young age, Clementine considered him a friend. She encouraged him every step of the way, through every stuttered word. Clementine wondered what he was doing at the moment. The last she remembered, he said he was going off to college. Lee managed to strip the information from him during a tutoring session for history. 

"Stay here." Your voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Both of you were posted a few feet away from a doorless frame. She glanced up at you as you placed both hands on her shoulders. "But if you're going to eavesdrop, be sneaky about it, yeah?" 

She smiled and nodded. You tapped your pointer finger against your lips. 

Rolling your shoulders back and cracking your neck, you took a deep breath as your straightened your back and stuck your chest out slightly. Channeling the inner charm took a moment. When you were ready, you pushed the plastic curtain aside and peeked in. The blonde absentmindedly flipped through a worn magazine. He only noticed your presence upon hearing your loud knocks. His normally perfect posture intensified. He tossed the magazine onto his lap, a tiny smile resting on his tired features. The flash of relief that crossed his eyes didn't go unnoticed. This was an encounter you already had a leg up on. 

"You actually came back." His eyes lowered to the floor. A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "I was starting to believe I hallucinated our reunion." 

"Nope. I'm here. In the flesh." 

Trading a tight hug which lasted longer than the previous one, you focused on what you were going to say. Not hastily constructed lies, but how to explain them. There was so much to be said, so little time. Well, you had all day if you so pleased, but you wanted to get it over with rather swiftly. 

You pulled up a seat only to be instructed to sit on the bed by Daniel. He promised no one would reprimand you, so you complied and made yourself comfortable. 

"If you took any longer, I would've absconded this dreadful institution and sought you." He spoke playfully, but the underlying threat made you sweat internally. He discarded the magazine to settle his hands on his lap. His full attention was on you, examining you. "Our last meeting was cut too short. Should I expect any surprises interrupting this time?" 

"Depends on what you call a surprise." His pale blue hues quivered. You giggled. "Kidding. Kidding." The grin full of mischief made him furrow his brows. "You're too gullible Dathaniel." 

A disgusted groan accompanied with a dramatic eye roll drew genuine laughter from you. His annoyed scowl eventually upturned, joining you in your amusement with his own low chuckles. As you wiped the tears from your eyes, you saw the man staring at you with an undeniable warmth in his eyes. Something akin to admiration. He didn't shy away or avert his gaze when you made eye contact. He didn't even blink. Your hand was scooped up by his. "All these years....." His fingers interlaced with yours. Grinning wider, he murmured, "All these years and you're still the exact same, yet drastically different." The way his eyes raked over your form reminded you of your mission. 

"What do you mean?" 

"It's been twelve years since I last saw you. I never thought we'd meet again, then we suddenly reconnect through quite a bizarre circumstances." Another emotion pulsed to life in his cold, blue eyes. "Here you are before me, fully grown from the little Bambi I used to know." 

It was your turn to roll your eyes. "Uh-huh." 

"The years have been more than kind to you. Everyone would be proud to see how beautiful you are. Stunning." 

"Oh really?" Instead of fighting the blush that arrived with his affirmative nod, you let your face flush and coyly smiled. Your bashful, fleeting glances captured his wholehearted attention. "I could say the same about you too." 

His hand gripped yours tighter. You chewed the inside of your cheek, turning away shyly and earning a deep chuckle from Daniel. "Flattery will get you nowhere." 

Playfully shoving his shoulder, you scooted closer and asked, "Is that a challenge, Danny?" 

"Perhaps." 

Withdrawing your hand from his, you turned your body to face him. The teasing eyebrow raise spurred you to act. Laying your hands on each of his reddened cheeks, you pulled his face mere centimeters away from yours. His once confident grin melted into jaw dropped astonishment. You saw his shoulders slacken as he relaxed under your touch. He ceased to breathe as you leaned closer, whispering, "It's a bet you'd lose." 

You massaged slow circles into his cheek bones. Swallowing the knot in his throat, he hoarsely questioned, "Are you trying to seduce me?" 

"Perhaps." 

You knew it was over for him the second you saw his eyes lower to your lips. "Keep going." Noses touching, you glanced at his lips once his eyes went half lidded. The sensation of your breath tickling his lips made him shudder. He began to lean in as his eyes closed completely. You, on the other hand, kept your eyes wide open, watching the blonde mold like putty in your grasp. Your lips brushed against his, ghosting them as you purposefully dragged on the lull. 

"Nah." Smirking, you pulled back and set your hands on your lap. "Too easy." You fought back the mocking guffaws mounting in your chest. Utter disappointment, confusion, and frustration swirled in his eyes, but his mouth hung agape through it all. "I didn't sneak off to come here and make out with you. I came here to discuss something more important." 

Daniel frowned, the redness intensifying thanks to his pale skin. You felt his embarrassment radiating so strongly, it effected you second hand. He crossed his arms over his chest, not bothering to mask his annoyance. "We can't do both?" 

"No way. With our luck, that nurse would barge in and scold me for even getting in your bed." Daniel opened his mouth to argue when you lifted a hand up to silence him. "Besides, you're like a brother to me." Your snicker caused you to miss the pained grimace Daniel wore for a fraction of a second. After quieting down, you tucked a stray lock of your hair behind your ear. "I was being serious about talking though. I have some questions to ask you." 

Daniel still wore a frown. "Ask away then." 

You took a deep breath and closed your eyes. Foot wiggling and bouncing, you said, "Before I ask anything, I need to know something." You bit your lower lip. "I need to know that you won't say a word about finding me." The shock in his expression prompted you to insist, "I'm serious. If I'm going to stay in contact with you, I need to know you'll keep me a secret." You gently grabbed his hands and shook them for emphasis. A classic goo goo eyes stare would help sway him. "Promise me, Daniel." 

Daniel wanted to say yes. 

He wanted to swear left, right, and center that he wouldn't cross you. That he'd never cross you for his own gain. What was there to gain? Nothing. Nothing except redemption he didn't want now that you were somehow miraculously back in his life. But with the hold they still had on him, nothing was certain. They could make him do anything against his will. Yet....

"Of course I promise. I swear I won't say a word." 

Your eyes glowed with excitement. A childlike grin spread across your face. "Really?" 

"Really really." 

The two of you studied each other. You searched his eyes for any hesitation as he searched yours for acceptance. After a moment, you nodded in approval. You mentally filed his allegiance to you away and shook his hands one last time before lowering them. 

"Thank you." His heart stuttered. "But before we continue...." You looked to the curtained door and called out, "Clem?" 

Daniel's eyes darted to the door, alarm ringing in his head as the plastic curtain crinkled and a silhouette stood behind it. Dread and anger coursed through him. The name which spilled past your lips didn't register in his mind. Last time someone uninvited entered the room, he stole you away in a matter of seconds. The blonde wasn't keen on having that happen again. He'd do everything in his power to repulse and hopefully chase off the idiotic, red headed dolt. 

His teeth were already bared. Venom on his tongue, he tensed up and readied himself to disparage David when the curtain revealed an entirely different person. Smaller than he expected. A child. Daniel recognized the girl's hat sitting atop her curly hair. She was one of the kids from the rundown camp. Her head was bowed as she shuffled over to you. 

"Who is this?" Distant, cold, unnerving. 

You and the girl shared a look. "This is Clementine." 

His eyes switched between the two of you. His expression hardened. For a brief moment, it looked like something within him died. He half croaked, half growled, "Is this one..." He struggled to spit the last part. "....yours?" 

Again, you and Clementine looked at one another. You held a soundless conversation relying on facial features instead. Various twitches and the slightest movements summed up your answer. "It's....complicated, but yes. She's--"

He cut you off and darkly squinted at Clementine. "I don't recall seeing you all day after first arriving at that miserable, backwater camp." 

Maneuvering your body to shield her from Daniel's wrathful view and spiteful tongue, you narrowed your eyes and stated, "She's the one who called me there. She's the reason I got there as fast as I did." 

"So she ruined my plan to kill the other little bastards?" 

"No." You glanced back at her and smiled. "I'd say that it was a joint effort. She knew something wasn't right with you and that David was too....naive to see it." You frowned, remembering how you scolded the gullible red head. "She avoided the brainwashing sauna all together and called me right away. I cracked you over the head with a bat and, well, here we are." 

He stared at you, unsure of he wanted to laugh out of disbelief or scoff out of anger. There was a lull. A single hand rested over his eyes. He chuckled, "Color me impressed. She got her brains from you." 

"She's far more intelligent. I trust her with my life. We've been through a lot together." You nodded at Daniel. "She knows about that night." He made a noise, a hum of understanding. The two of you locked eyes. "There's some things that don't make sense, and we both need to know." 

Daniel rubbed his forearm, finding renewed interest in the magazine lobbed aside earlier. His lips were pressed in a tight line. He clicked his tongue. "Are you sure?" He received a short glare. "Alright then, I'll go from the very beginning." 

"I told her that too." 

He shook his head, firmly denying so. When he tore his gaze from the magazine and bore into your (e/c), "Your parents sold you off for two reasons: Because they couldn't afford you and because they didn't want to give you up for free." Your stone faced expression encouraged him to continue. "Your initial purpose was to serve as a sacrifice at the age of five - my initiation kill - for your adoptive parents to cement their positions in the cult, but you proved your limitless worth with the amount of power and influence you garnered in such a small amount of time."

Physically recoiling earned an inquisitive brow raise. His blunt, curt tone added an extra edge to the already slashing statement he uttered. Spoken like a true businessman. No emotion, all facts and logic. "Don't mind me." You whispered through clenched teeth. "Go on." 

"Your popularity drew more members to the Church of Zeemuug than ever before. The Council decided to keep milking the cash cow. At first, they pushed your sacrificial time back a few months then a couple years, but ultimately canceled the act all together once you were catapulted into the limelight. Of course, it set my career back as I wasn't able to acquire the blessings of our Lord And Savior Zeemuug. My parents insisted on remaining patient and to trust the process. I listened and did as they asked. I waited. I waited for every opportunity to improve myself and make the community proud regardless of anyone who stood in my path. Even if it meant suddenly collaborating with the person who set my career on an indefinite detour."

He gave you a pointed, yet lighthearted glare.

"I thought dancing with you would have been an atrocious disaster. And yet, you defied my expectations by a landslide. Our clean sweep of the awards set the notion forward we maintain a partnership from that point on. It was a dynamic the entire cult was surprised to see, but no one opposed it. The more we won, the more power we gathered. The accolades and trophies couldn't have mattered less. People talked about us. Rumors of out talents and skills spread like wildfire, attracting more members like they wanted. 

"Our actual relationship didn't hold any importance to the Council. What mattered was that we were cohesive when we performed and were being watched. Four years of constant, brutal training together resulted in a bond they didn't foresee. They planned for us to rocket into stardom together, something neither of us opposed. I remember talking about our plans for the future. How many movies we were going to star in, what our favorite celebrities would think of us, when we were going to win our first Oscar together, everything. Deals were made and we both had our separate projects to tackle. Movie gigs, brand sponsorship commercials, and conventions began to pile up. Our schedules tripled in workload, far surpassing an unhealthy lifestyle for any kids our ages. Even then, we were attached at the hip through thick and thin, more so than before. Our isolation from society and the people leading normal lives drove us to rely on one another for everything. 

"The more intense the pressure to succeed became, the more doubts trickled into our minds. The late night talks went from wishing for a superstar's life to yearning for everyday experiences. A day in the fresh air at the park was preferred over slaving in a stuffy, enclosed dance studio or recording booth." He stopped, glancing at the window and the rays of light peeking through the curtains. You saw a tiny smile adorn his lips. "You and I snuck out one night. Remember?" 

The memory escaped you for a moment as you attempted to retrieve it. You furrowed your brows and stared outside as well. You had to close your eyes to picture it. The image of a slightly cloudy night and your childhood bedroom glowed in your mind. Dryly, you croaked, "The night after recording our lines for that audio reading?" 

"Yeah. For the book Childhood Fairytales." 

"We never even got to read it after it came out." 

You both snickered. The short amusement faded. Daniel sighed wistfully. 

He continued. "That night sparked a flame of rebellion. I recall saying we should run away in jest, but you took it seriously. We argued about it, but you convinced me it was possible and nothing could stop us. Not the paparazzi, not the Council, not even our parents. We spent every spare moment planning our disappearances. Time went along and our popularity only grew. The window of running away was beginning to close. Especially with the Council looming overhead. Our parents confided in us that our chance to cement ourselves as powerful figureheads was coming soon. In order to do that, blood needed to be spilled and we had to sacrifice carefully selected kids. You......vehemently refused to." 

Daniel craned his neck and stared at Clementine. She'd made herself comfy sitting beside you. The blonde chuckled, "She was stubborn about not killing anyone. No amount of negotiation could change her mind. Your mother is very set in her ways."

"I think refusing to kill an innocent kid is the right thing to do." You remarked. 

"Not to the Council it wasn't. Being so adamant is what caused...." He shook his head. "No, being adamant about refraining from killing isn't what sealed our fate. It was one of the nails in our coffins, but the killing blow is when you threatened to unveil the inner workings of the cult. By betraying the strict code of conduct, you put a target on your back. By not receding on your stance when we tried talking you into it, you reaffirmed their suspicions. They spilt us up so your ideas of freedom wouldn't soil my dedication to the cause. I was ordered to keep my contact with you at the bare minimum. You were a future problem that needed to be dealt with immediately. Luckily for the Council, the perfect night was fast approaching. I thought listening to their demands would repair their damaged views on you, but I was wrong. The night before the full moon, my parents informed me of a change in plans. I was no longer going to sacrifice Mitch Rawling to ensure our fortune, our rise to power, and the continuation of our lineage. I was supposed to kill you."

His voice had tapered off into a hoarse whisper. His jaw tightened as did his fists. He seemed to be fighting back tears, but before you could interject, he shoved his feelings aside and chose to continue. 

"I knew it was wrong. They were wrong. Everything I had been doing for them was wrong. It wasn't wrong before I met you, but after getting to know you? After everything we had been through? After everything you meant to me? I couldn't follow through. I kept my mouth shut and agreed to do it. I stayed as calm as I could and gathered all the supplies we stockpiled over the years and snuck off to your room. I was going to tell you why we had to go, but.....I didn't want to freak you out in case we failed. Better safe than sorry. We should have made it out. We should have been fine.

"We were always under constant supervision. I should have seen it coming. The reason they found us so quickly was because one of the members saw me go into your room. She ran off and told on us. They had set me up. I only found out after they dragged me back. They knew I knew where you were and where you were headed. They bargained my treatment and punishment for the info, but I spat in their faces. I even told my father to go to hell. My beatings were extended for a week. They promised it would stop if I simply told them where you were. When I denied them of it for a third time, they decided to brainwash me into talking against my will. Even then, I played dumb and claimed to have forgotten. It was never clear whether they believed me or not, but after routinely appointments in the sauna, I truly forgot about you.

"To save me the trouble of remembering you, they explained my badly beaten state as reinitiation into the cult by the demand of Zeemuug. In order to repay Him for His decision to let me live, I was to kill as many kids as required until He chose to dismiss the shame I had brought upon my family and the cult. To avoid damnation, I was to kill kids across the nation. I did so for years. I've traveled from state to state, to the most remote places in the states to get away with murdering massive amounts of people at a time. Camp Campbell was my latest target. I stumbled upon it in a premonitory dream I had. Lord Zeemuug stated that this would be the final mass sacrifice that would satiate Him and absolve me of my bonds to my mission. Everything went off without a hitch, then suddenly....." 

He trailed off into silence for the last time, opting to stare at you as the message buried itself in your mind. 

Your stomach churned harder than the sea on a stormy night. You couldn't bear to look him in the eyes. Guilt, hate, melancholy, and more crashed in waves one after another. Nausea gripped you. Head swirling, you briefly wondered how many people Daniel killed in the span of twelve years. It had to be in the hundreds, easily. While not everyone was as gullible as David, you imagined Daniel's acting was upped for the tougher skeptics he came across. Focusing your blurry gaze on your hands settled in your lap, you struggled to swallow the painful lump in your throat as one thought played on repeat in your head.

'It's my fault.' 

If you hadn't been so desperate to make your adopted parents happy and proud of you, you would have spared yourself the pain of trying to accomplish the insurmountable and ultimately failing. 

If you hadn't convinced Daniel to believe in your childish plan, he wouldn't have been tortured for years and had a significantly lower amount of blood on his hands. 

If you hadn't stepped out of line, so many innocent people would still be alive. 

'It's all my fault.' 

Through his own daze, Daniel recognized the twinkling of tears in your eyes. The years which saw you apart more than you were together hardly mattered. He couldn't bear seeing you cry. "I suppose that blow you delivered with the bat broke the lock on my memories off." He nodded at you and Clementine. "If it weren't for the two of you, I would have killed everyone at Camp Campbell. I would have returned home and continued doing the bidding of my parents." He took your hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "For that, I thank you." 

You opened your mouth to respond, but Clementine chirped, "Any time, Dathaniel!" 

The blonde's jaw was agape. He gawked at Clementine, narrowing his eyes but failing to spout any of his repertoire of witty quips at the child. After a few cycles of closing his mouth and opening it, Daniel finally settled on something out of the blue to say. "Forgive me if this comes off as rude, but she looks nothing like you. Not that it's a bad thing. She must take after her father." 

The nagging thoughts lingered and weighed your heart down, but you resisted their control to savor the levity of the moment. 

Amused, you snickered, "You think..." You leaned out of the way, and glanced between Clementine and Daniel. Ending the action by keeping your eyes on the girl, you said, "Let me clarify: She's not my biological daughter." 

"Oh...." 

His entire demeanor flipped. He tried to contain his relief, but failed spectacularly. The bitterness in his tone vanished. "Is that so?" 

Taking note of his reaction, you nodded and answered, "We met a few years after I escaped. It's a long story." 

He smiled. "Well, I've got time. I'd love to hear how you actually managed to survive."


	8. Impromptu

Pin drop silence reigned supreme. Nothing but the faint beeps of heart monitors and the ticking clock was heard. The dented paper cup void of water continued to crumple under your toying grasp. Tiny droplets rose to the top of unfurled rim, soaking the thin paper and drying out seconds later. When the cup was flattened completely, you tightly squeezed it into a ball, tossing it into the small bin next to Daniel's bedside.

You felt his gaze burning into your side the entire time. You didn't want to meet his eyes until he spoke or did anything but stare. Thankfully, he spared you from suffering under the suffocating weight of the tense atmosphere.

"Wow." The pale blue hues wobbled with shock. He blinked a few times, still absorbing the chunks of information you gifted him minutes earlier.

"Wow?" An undelivered 'That's it?' came across quite clearly in your raised brows and thin lipped frown.

Daniel continued to blink as he processed the information. He audibly swallowed. His hand rubbed his chin, slow and methodical as the last of the puzzle pieces fell into place. He took his time constructing his response, going as far as closing his eyes and sighing to himself. "Traumatizing, difficult, bizarre, dark, but mostly isolating." The tips of his fingers aligned with each hand as he pressed his pointer fingers to his lips. He breathed, "Hiding who you truly are for so many years must have been hard. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Both of you."

You had scooted closer earlier to give Clementine ample space to make herself comfortable on the bed. She rested her head on your shoulder as she yawned. The quick glimpse you caught showed her red, puffy eyes from recollecting the most trying times of your adventures together.

Bringing him up stung the most.

"What matters is you lived."

"You mean survived?"

"It's interchangeable."

You huffed, "If you wanna say I lived through multiple assassination attempts instead of survived, be my guest."

Daniel winced. Searching his newly unearthed memories summoned a particularly odd conversation he overheard years prior. Something about rigging a car bomb down in Savannah, Georgia and uncertainty in whether the target was eliminated or not. Back then, he believed the Council were speaking about a group of moles who unveiled some of the lesser crimes the Church of Zeemuug committed. But now? "They knew you were alive then."

"Everyone else bought the kidnapping and tragic death story, but not them." With arms crossed over your chest, you leaned your head back and stared at the ceiling. "Not the ones I needed to trick the most."

"Have you ever encountered them after that day?"

Shaking your head and shrugging, you sighed, "I can't say for sure, but I'd never take a chance. We never stay anywhere longer than a year." 6 months was your policy, but given the circumstances.... "We might have to leave early this time. Just in case."

"You won't have to. Let me reassure you, I won't say a word of this to them."

"Why?"

"The honest truth is, you were the only real friend I've ever had. I didn't throw you under the bus then. I won't do it now."

You hid the smirk want to claw its way onto your face, settling for displaying a kind, grateful smile instead. You had done what you set out to do. Rekindle the flame of friendship and gain his unwavering loyalty. In the back of your mind, there was a trace of doubt already festering. One question bobbed around.

'When will this end?'

You couldn't fathom thinking of an answer.

So you chose to delve deeper into Daniel. "How did the media never find out about you killing people?"

"A name change here, there and flying under the radar is all it took. Without you by my side, nothing I did mattered to the people mourning your disappearance and believed to be death." Eyes half lidded, he said, "The public was glad to see me safe and sound, but they forgot about me maybe a year afterwards. You caused quite the whirlwind that swept the nation away as I'm sure you know."

"Not really." "I didn't have a chance to watch the news, so I don't know how big it was."

Daniel raised a hand and touched each finger as he listed off the endless ways your visage was exploited by the media. "True crime channels play multiple documentaries covering your disappearance at the end of each month. On the anniversary of your escape, they air all of your completed movies 24/7 on over more than twenty channels. People get riled up and debate the evidence left behind to determine whether you're truly dead or not. Merchandise with quotes from your old interviews are sold at ridiculous prices. Girls pay tribute to your untouchable performances by dedicating their gigs to you. You've got hundreds of psychics claiming they've spoken to you on the other side, demanding absurd amounts of pay to reveal what you supposedly said. It's loathsome really."

You rolled your eyes. "I'm not surprised."

"Twelve years have passed, and anything involving you still brings the same level excitement as it did all those years ago."

You opened your mouth to speak, but the sun sinking in the sky blinded you for a moment. Shutting an eye, you peeked at the window and saw the beautiful orange hues leaking across the horizon. A blurred glance at the clock made you inhale sharply. You burned hours explaining exactly what you promised and then some.

Nudging Clementine awake, you stared at Daniel as you said, "We should get going. Duty calls."

"Back to that god forsaken camp again?" When you nodded, Daniel slightly hung his head in defeat. He exhaled, "You know I can get you out of there if it's money you need."

"Your charity isn't required. We have more money than we need." You stated, matter-of-factly. Handing the keys to the young girl, you told her, "Get the car started." She looked at the keys, you, then Daniel with a reserved reluctance before sauntering out of the room. Daniel nearly blurted something, but you silenced him by raising your hand and turning to face the door. You were listening to her footsteps until they were gone.

Once you waved him on, he asked, "If it's not a financial issue, then what's tying you down to that pigsty of a camp?"

"This isn't about me." You sharply remarked, slowly sliding off the edge of the bed. It groaned under the shifting weight. You stood on your tippy toes and reached for the sky, stretching your dormant limbs. "It stopped being about me five years ago."

You saw Daniel's jaw jitter slightly. He pressed his lips together and breathed through his nose. The blonde sighed, "I suppose so."

Inklings of remorse dripped in. "Good." Double taking at the door, you draped your arms around the lanky man and patted his back. "I'll sneak off to come see you again another day, so....don't run off?" You pulled away and walked out. Right as you fingers grazed the curtain, you heard him chime.

"No promises Bambi."

You flipped him the bird over your shoulder and scoffed, "Okay Dathaniel."

His chuckling echoed down the hall, following you like your shadow until you reached the lobby. Flashing the receptionist a pearly white grin, she returned the warm sentiments and wished you a wonderful day. The lighthearted, airy feeling coursing through your veins brought a genuine smile on your face. Living up to the nickname Daniel dubbed you with, you pranced down the staircase and practically skipped to your car.

A weight which settled on your shoulders years ago was alleviated. For the first time in years, you believed it might be a wonderful day indeed.

As always, the streets were dead and devoid of life. Tumbleweeds didn't bother bouncing along either. Pulling out of the parking lot, you moseyed through the town, never speeding past 30. You licked your teeth and propped your elbow against the window, resting your temple against your palm as you kept a loose hand on the wheel.

"(Name)?" To acknowledge her without speaking, you hummed. "Is everything okay?"

You peered at her through your peripheral. "I got what I wanted."

Clementine mumbled, "You think he'll keep his promise?"

Running a hand through your hair, you contemplated your wording. With a slow nod, you chewed on your lower lip and said, "Kinda banking in on it."

"So...."

Her hopeful tone made your eyes widen. She didn't need to finish for you to guess what she was about to ask. Snickering, you replied, "Yeah. Yeah, we'll be sticking around Camp Campbell for a while, kiddo."

"Yes!" She cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

Playfully swatting her baseball cap off, she whined in protest as you joked, "I didn't know you liked it THAT much."

"Oh, I do. It's just...." She trailed off before mustering the courage to speak again. "Ben." She fixed her cap and giggled, "As much as I like Ben, I'm glad we don't have to stay cooped up in his apartment for the rest of the summer!"

"Shit, I'm relieved too. It would have been a long drive." The moment those words rolled off your tongue, you frowned. An idea popped into your head. Swiftly checking around your surroundings revealed the lengthy, flat stretch of road and the fact you two were the only ones driving on it.

Without sparing it another thought, you pulled over, put it in neutral, and hopped out. Clementine picked at her nails until you cracked the passenger door open. She straightened up and shot you a curious look. "What?"

"You're gonna drive back to camp."

Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "No way! I've only driven in parking lots before!" She cried, clutching the seatbelt straps like security blankets.

"Well, today's your day to take on the road." Before she could argue, you clicked the button and released her from the seatbelt's hold. Motioning for her to move, you said, "Road's empty. You'll be fine. Come on." She glared at you, but climbed into the driver's seat and plopped down, squirming to get comfortable. She adjusted the seat as far up as it could go before she strapped herself in. "Alright, remember to fix your mirrors." She did. "Take it out of neutral and put it in drive." She did. "Start slow." She did.

Easing her foot onto the pedal, the car began to roll forward. She hunched over the steering wheel, gripping it tightly like a stress ball. She swallowed loudly and refused to take her eyes off the road. At the brisk pace of 5 mph, you raised a brow.

"Jeez! Slow down, Speed Racer."

"Shut up."

You chuckled. "Relax. You're more likely to wreck if you hug the wheel like that." She glowered at you before slowly leaning back and loosening her grip. "Hands at 9 and 3." She moved her hands to the appropriate spots. "Now," you flicked your hand at the road and said, "haul ass, Clem." She stuck her tongue out at you and pushed the pedal down further, increasing the velocity of the aged, maroon red Blazer.

The two of you cruised down the scenic, postcard perfect boulevard at a decent speed. Lowering the window, you slumped in the leather chair and stuck your hand out. Warm summer winds threaded the gaps between your fingers, a soothing sensation you could never get enough of.

Clementine's confidence boosted little by little the longer the drive lasted. By the time the familiar billboard poked into view, she had a relaxed smile on her face as she hummed a tune to a song you both knew.

You pointed to the shrouded path you used to hide your car in and she glided in without a hitch. She pulled into the secret clearing perfectly. As she parked the car and turned the ignition off, you flicked one of her stray curls and commented, "Heh. See? What are you worried about? You're a natural."

The seatbelt whirred as it retracted into it's compartment. She laid her head against the headrest and said, "I don't see why I need to learn how to drive. I'm ten."

"And I learned when I was five." You removed your own seatbelt and pocketed the keys. Taking a moment to recuperate, you questioned, "Besides, what if I get drunk or something? I can't drive if I'm drunk."

Clementine furrowed her brows, dryly stating, "But you don't drink. And you're not old enough."

Feigning annoyance, you shot back, "Okay, true. But what if I get drugged or incapacitated? Then who's gonna drive me to the hospital?"

She made a face and over-exaggerated a shrug. "I dunno."

You shook your head. "Brat."

She shrugged again, even more animated than the previous one. The two opened your doors, hit the lock button, slid out, and carefully shut them. Remote as the location was from the main campgrounds, you didn't want to risk any adventurous campers overhearing the sound of a second getaway vehicle. Namely the troublesome trio.

The two of you took the long way around, opting to trek through the dirt road back to the Mess Hall where everyone should be.

Where mostly everyone was.

You blinked, basking in the ambience of the pure entropy only Camp Campbell campers were capable of.

Nurf cradled a stack of beauty magazines in one arm and brandished a hair dryer in the other hand. The wire dangled in the dirt, etching lines in the soft ground below him. Covering his bright red hair was a wig. Upon closer inspection, it was an exact replica of Gwen's hairstyle. The boy traded in his signature yellow shirt torn at the sleeves for a counselor tee ready to burst at the seams.

Neil, Nikki, Space Kid, Nerris, and Erid crowded around him. You and Clementine shared a cautious look before inching closer.

"Look guys, we're down two counselors and a camper, but we can still get the wedgie machine up and running by tonight!" Nurf declared, raising the hair dryer into the air as the chord flopped around and smacked Space Kid's helmet. He opened his mouth to spout more instructions until he saw you staring blankly at him. "Pam, Lola, you're back!"

"We never left." You scanned their faces. Noting their worried expressions, you asked, "What's going on now?"

"Gwen's gone." Space Kid exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

Tires squealing and brakes screeching caused all of you to jump as a cloud of dirt mixed with smog swallowed your forms. The taste of earth caked your mouth. You gagged in disgust, slapping a hand over your mouth to prevent the concoction of gases from polluting your lungs any longer. Coughing fits erupted from everyone suffocated by the miasma of smog and dirt.

Following a rough door slam, a stream of recognizable curses flew from Gwen's mouth. She herself didn't look so peachy. Her uniform was caked in mud. Patches of grass clung to her bare legs as her boots squeaked and leaked water with every stomp. The woman was soaked to the bone, but didn't shiver with cold. She quivered with anger as she made a beeline past the Mess Hall and straight for the Counselor's Cabin. Pity for the poor sap on the receiving end of Gwen's wrath flickered in your heart.

"Alright, where the FUCK is he?" She hissed, fist clenched at her side. You didn't spot the object she hid behind her back fast enough as the door she kicked open swung shut behind her.

Nurf deflated at the sight of Gwen and hung his head low. He removed the wig with great reluctance as he dropped his he rest of Gwen's things onto the ground. He sighed, "Aw man. Life comes at you fast."

"What's all the hullabaloo?"

You went rigid, shoulders tensed upon hearing David's clueless voice. He approached from behind, stopping beside you with his hands on his hips. His head was cocked to the left, brows furrowed in confusion. For once, he didn't wear a bright grin. His lips were drawn in a gentle frown.

Before you could suggest the two of you talk in a more private place, Space Kid innocently blurted, "Gwen's leaving camp." His eyes widened as he tacked on, "But don't tell David."

David's head snapped to look at you. "Gwen? Leaving?" You made a face and shrugged, disguising your raging mortification quite well. He cast one last look at the kids before waving you over. "C'mon Pam. Let's get to the bottom of this." Dread infected you and became stronger with every step you took toward the cabin. "It can't be true. Right? Gwen would tell me because we're CBFLs."

You couldn't answer him or offer the reassurance he craved. Bold face lying to him when the jig was up might cost Gwen her job, but you wouldn't let the same fate befall you. Not after getting Daniel to keep quiet about you.

The counselor's cabin loomed over you, taunting you with a rough conversation to take place in mere moments. You looked to the sky before closing your eyes. Ad libbing - a skill you honed over the years - would need to be executed perfectly to get out of the fiasco unscathed. David gripped the handle, twisted it, and slowly cracked it open, peeking inside to get a read on the situation.

"...blackmailed by a ten year old to keep my worthless job hunt a secret so I wouldn't lose my current worthless job?!"

Your stomach dropped as David gasped. "Gwen!" He stepped in, leaving you to scramble inside after him as he stood behind the woman.

Damage control seemed to be a lost cause. There was no way Gwen would recover from a blunder like this. The flustered, horrified look on her face showed she knew it too.

Didn't stop her from trying though.

"David!" She raised her hands in defense. "Uhhh...you're dreaming!"

You commended her bravery. It took balls to try and trick David with her overused go-to excuse. But before you could mentally clap for her, your eyes were magnetized to the item she clutched in her right hand. Then and only then did you get a good look at what she was holding earlier. Your blood threatened to boil over.

Mr. Honeynuts, the damn bear. It wasn't the same as the one at the antique store. This one was worse for wear. The stuffing was poking out of the left foot and the left ear. His left eye was missing and his fur was discolored in large splotches.

"Nice try Gwen, but I won't fall for that a third time." David's stern stare and chiding tone reduced her to a near blubbering mess.

Yet another voice chimed in. "Uh Gwen, the bear please." Max owned a Mr. Honeynuts bear?

How.

Fucking.

Rich.

'Of course he would.' You scratched your jawline out of discomfort and averted your gaze to focus on anywhere except the scene before you. 'Of course he's seen one of my movies before.' You raked your hand through your hair, chewed a hangnail, and even cracked your knuckles to help ease the pressure building in your stomach. Gwen would have had your sympathies as she dropped to her knees and sobbed, but you couldn't be bothered to look in her general direction, let alone pay attention to what was being said.

Max clearly saw The Bear and the Cupboard. He owned a doll of the damn movie's main plot point. Figuring out whether he saw a film or two of yours because there was nothing better on or if he was one of the fanatic people who were deeply obsessed with every aspect of your career needed to be pinpointed.

Maybe...

......Maybe this was a sign?

Y'know, to perhaps....GET THE FUCK OUT?

BEFORE MAX FIGURED OUT WHO YOU REALLY WERE LIKE HE PROMISED HE WOULD?

"Pam?"

Was he really capable though?

"Pam?!"

The real question is: Why wouldn't he be capable?

Little bastard had a knack for snooping around and finding shit he shouldn't be interested in.

**SLAP**

A sharp stinging in your cheek harshly tugged you back into reality. The painful stinging faded to a soft numbness as you brought a hand to cup your cheek. Lashes fluttering, you blinked and scowled at the woman gripping your shoulder. Heart stuttering, you released a puff of air. The panic left her features when you furrowed your brows and barked, "What was that for?"

"I've been calling your name for, like, the past five minutes and nothing. I was worried that you were having a heart attack or something." Bullets of perspiration shot down your face which Gwen wiped away with the damn stuffed bear. "You're sweating like crazy. And your face is super red. Are you alright?"

You could barely swallow, let alone speak. With no way to rely on your voice, you weakly nodded and attempted to even your breath.

A thump in the distance accompanied with David inhaling in awe captured your attention.

Gwen heaved a sigh of relief. "I can't believe David isn't pissed. He even wants to drive me to my interview today and the last ones in the coming days." Her hand slid off your shoulder as she directed her stare at the hallway leading to the bedrooms. "That guy is too nice for his own good, but I guess I really can't complain."

"Yeah...." Was all you managed to croak.

"He probably wouldn't have been as forgiving if he knew you were in on it."

Your heart was beginning to slow down to its normal, relaxed resting speed. You tilted your head and asked, "You didn't tell him?"

"You were really out of it then." She shook her head. "I was about to, but he forgave me before I threw you under the bus. Then he gave an inspiring speech and I didn't have the heart to tell him. So....your secret is safe with me."

"Gee thanks."

"No problemo."

The talk was cut short when David came sprinting out of the hall with clothing draped on one of his arms and a pair of dark grey heels in his other hand. A light bluish grey button up, a dark blue blazer, and a dark grey skirt that matched the heels. He held the outfit out like a prized trophy. "This will definitely impress your next boss!" He walked over and handed the clothing to Gwen. "Go get washed up. Pam can do your makeup when your done!" The both of them looked to you for approval which came in the form of a submissive nod.

"Thanks David." She gave him a quick hug before disappearing into the bathroom.

About a minute after the shower head came to life, the red head glanced at you and smiled. "I'm glad to see that Gwen's safe and sound. I won't lie, not hearing from her for a few days made me nervous." You hummed in agreement. "It's a shame she's leaving so soon, though. Camp won't be the same without her." Again, you agreed by chuffing. "Oh, that reminds me! Where'd you wander off to today Pam?"

"Huh?"

"I was looking all over for you, but I couldn't find you."

You fought the urge to fidget under his oblivious gaze. Panic tapped its nails against your back as you said, "I left you a note." He shook his head. "You didn't get it?" He shook his head again. "Ohh." A shuddery sigh left you.

Fucking Max struck again.

Silence blanketed the room for a while. You knew he was waiting for your explanation, but you were determined to drag out the quiet as long as possible. It lasted a few minutes. The water stopped as if it were waiting for your explanation too. David opened his mouth to prod your whereabouts again, but Gwen cracked the door ajar and poked her head out. "Pam?"

"Excuse me." You said with a polite nod.

Escaping the interrogation somehow came to pass as you slipped into the bathroom. The door clicked shut behind you. Gwen's soiled clothes were balled up on the toilet seat's lid. Rather awkwardly, she stood before you, arms outstretched in a T-pose.

"You look good." Hand gripping your chin, you looked her over and commented, "In my opinion, you don't really need any makeup. Maybe just a little mascara, pencil liner, and lip gloss."

That being said, you got to work. Gwen's rigorous skincare routines she performed every night came to fruition. Aside from the puffy eyes from crying, her skin was flawless. You tasked David with retrieving her hair dryer from Nurf and he returned ten minutes later with a black eye. You huffed, but maintained your focus on handling Gwen's hair.

She argued a bun would be fine, so you complied and twisted her hair into a neat, tight bun. Spraying the stray hairs down, you backed off and analyzed her appearance one last time before pointing out her bare ears and neck. She pulled out a pair of stud earrings and glanced at you for approval. Once you nodded, the two of you exited the bathroom.

"Done?" David chirped from the armchair. Gwen stepped out behind you, smiling confidently as David sung, "You look great! Good job Pam!" He stood up. "Let's get going! Wouldn't want to be late to your interview."

You followed Gwen and David as the two headed for David's car parked crookedly adjacent to the Mess Hall. The kids were grouped in front of the building's doors.

They stared on curiously as David proudly announced, "Everyone wish Gwen luck! I'm taking her to a job interview! Pam is in charge of activities for the rest of the day."

In one of the few moments where Gwen didn't look abysmally drained, she grinned and cheered, "YEAH! LET'S DO IT!" She paused and straightened up, as if she recalled vital information. She dug around in her jacket and pulled out the raggedy bear. You gulped at the sight of it. She smirked at the bear and spun around to face the campers. "Oh, and Max has a teddy bear!" Mockingly, she exclaimed, "Eat shit, Satan!" With a perfect toss, she hurled the stuffed animal at his head and it squeaked upon impact. She whooped and jogged over to the passenger side, plopping into the chair and clicking her seatbelt into place.

Again, everyone was enveloped by a thick cloud of dirt and smog. Some pebbles whacked your legs as the wheels turned. The dirt crunched under the car's tires. It shot off, peeling away and vanishing around the corner.

In a split second, Nurf pointed at Max and unleashed a condescending guffaw. The others followed suit, wordlessly teasing Max for keeping a teddy bear close to his heart. You didn't correct them for the moment. You saw it as karma working her magic like she knew how. The moment ended and Nerris consoled Max. She whispered something in his ear and flashed him a reassuring smile. The kid's lip twitched upward.

The kids settled down before looking to you for guidance. Thrilled at the prospect of formulating activities that would keep them occupied until the pair returned, you heaved a sigh and scratched your head.

Gwen's little act of vengeance sparked an idea.

You weren't sure you had what you needed for the game, but you could improvise if you didn't. Clearing your throat, you said, "Looks like we're playing some impromptu dodgeball!"


	9. A Game of Dodge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .

Predictably, most of the balls suitable for a game of dodgeball were deflated or entirely ruined. Given the fact a large majority of the kids were small, they wouldn't be able to throw Soccer balls or basketballs accurately, so you combined an old game you played at a summer camp once many years ago with your current circumstances.

The game was called: Medicball.

Splitting the teams up as evenly as you could, you explained the rules in a single go. "Each side has a Medic with a scooter. In this case, a skateboard and a cape. If you get hit, you have to sit EXACTLY where you were hit and either wait for someone to catch a ball or for the Medic to come get you. You can block throws at the Medic of you're sitting. Medics can use their scooters as shields. The goal of the game is to get everyone out or hit the Medic for an automatic game over. Bounces don't count and you can't cross the line, but other than that, go apeshit. Any questions?"

Space Kid's hand shot up. "Ummm.....do the Medics have to pick someone up?"

"They pick up whoever they want." He nodded and fell into gleeful silence. "Anyone else? No? Okay, teams."

Sorting them to the best of your ability, you sighed and motioned for them to back up away from each other. They chatted amongst each other as you set the balls down in a line between both teams. The balls were a mixed bag of actual rubber dodgeballs, soccer balls, basketballs, some balloons stuffed with newspaper, and....a wrench? You clicked your tongue and stuffed the dangerous tool in your waistband. Trotting off the crudely drawn boundaries, you stood at the edge and gave one last look at the teams.

Nerris, Dolph, Space Kid, Nurf, Preston, and Clem versus Harrison, Erid, Neil, Nikki, and Max. Something tugged at the back of your mind. Like you were forgetting something, but you shrugged it off and gave them the cue to start.

Observing the bloodthirsty kids fight ferociously made you chuckle. It was a fond experience that brought back some joyful memories of a long forgotten summer. The camp had more than a hundred kids in attendance ranging from five to thirteen year olds. One counselor could be tasked with handling up to twenty kids at a time. Chaos usually erupted, but the counselors quickly quelled the uprisings with promises of treats and threats of phone calls.

The campers of Camp Campbell were comparably tamer than the kids you were grouped with. You were too old to be a camper, so you were entrusted as a C.I.T. who assisted a selected counselor. Regardless, you were expected to participate in singing strange songs, sports, arts and crafts, cooking, dancing, and themed skits just like the kids did.

Often times, kids were injured and forced to sit out on the rough games the counselors chose to play. You recalled the black eyes, busted lips, and bloody noses some of them got. None stayed away for too long. They'd sneak in and get revenge on the one who injured them to begin with. Ice packs were applied on the daily.

A part of you wondered why you, David, and Gwen struggled to maintain the peace between eleven campers. Honestly, it should have been a cinch. The kids weren't too crazy. Sure, they attracted bizarre situations, but they should be easier to handle. Especially since they weren't half as violent as the kids were at the camp you attended however many summers ago. The only kids who might have stood a chance were Nurf, Nikki, and Max.

Speaking of which, Neil shrieked, "Nurf! Where'd you even get that?"

The red head failed to respond, opting to chuck a familiar object at the skinny boy. Harrison dove out of the way as the silver colored item struck Neil in the gut, causing his knees to buckle under him. As Neil wretched on the floor curled up in the fetal position, Nurf mocked, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball."

You rolled your eyes. "Nurf. Sit the rest of this round out for that."

"Using a wrench isn't against the rules." He protested, crossing his arms over his chest.

Shaking your head, you called out, "It is now." You gestured to a grass patch just outside the court and commanded, "Sit or you won't play in the rest of the games."

Begrudgingly, Nurf complied and dropped onto the circle of grass. He plucked some blades and tossed them from his seat, shouting his insulting encouragements at his team while throwing grass to distract the opposing squad of kids. You would have barred him from interfering from the sidelines, but watching the others flinch from seeing puffs of grass was more amusing than you were willing to admit.

The warfare continued to unravel and rage on without him. Harrison took a rather powerful shot to the face from a screaming Nerris. Something about a 'fireball spell' and 'direct hit' being the loudest portions of her words. Nikki didn't discriminate in who she flung the makeshift balls at. Some struck her own teammates as she unleashed a warbling war cry. Space Kid, the assigned Medic, was yelling out of fear as he barely dodged the onslaught of projectiles raining on him. The dramatics were blown out of proportion when Preston was struck by a soccer ball in the leg. He dropped down, giving a touching monologue and simultaneously laying down on the ground as he waited for the Medic to revive him. Erid smacked anything flying in her radius using her skateboard. She took her sweet time getting to Neil, dragging the sputtering boy away from the front lines while Max watched boredly from the sidelines.

Only as the match neared its end did a realization strike you. The uneven teams suddenly made sense to you. Gently face palming, you ran a hand down the side of your face as you muttered, "God damn it. Scotty."

Leaving to retrieve the kid wouldn't have extended your absence longer than a minute, but the campers would undoubtedly find a way to cause as much chaos as they possibly could in under 60 seconds. You weren't in the mood to quell a roaring fire or drive one of the more fragile kids to the Sleepy Peak Hospital. So another solution to the unbalanced problem was in order.

Your quick brainstorming was brought to an end when Nerris landed the winning blow on Erid. The roughly pitched ball curved at just the right angle to dip under Erid's skateboard and hit her shin. All action came to a screeching halt. The kids on Nerris's team broke into cheers while the ones on Erid's team huffed in frustration.

"Ugh, we lost. Lame." Erid set her skateboard down, crossed her arms, and skated off.

In the midst of the other team's celebration, Nikki darted up to you and whined, "Pam, I can't win with this team!" She gestured to the deflated campers trudging around. "Max is no help and Neil can barely throw a ball without falling over!" A sharp protest from the thin kid brought a smile to your face. Nikki paid him no heed as she continued, "The teams are uneven. We need one more person."

"I forgot about Scotty." You admitted quietly.

Max chimed from the background, "You guys always forget about Scotty." The boy snickered as you glared at him.

"Or you could be on our team!" She suggested mischievously. Upon seeing the skeptical frown on your lips, the teal haired girl asked, "Pleeeeassse?" She clasped her hands together and pouted, begging for assistance like an attention starved puppy. "Pretty please with a cherry on top!"

You shot a weary glance in the direction of the tents where Scotty currently resided. The havoc the kids would wreck was not worth the clean up time. Manageable as a variation of dodgeball was, somehow a wrench got into the mix and you weren't willing to risk returning to an absolute bloodbath.

Conceding, you held up your hands in defeat and sighed, "Alright. Alright, I'll do it."

Nikki's eyes sparkled with admiration. A toothy grin threatened to split her face in two. Her hands curled into fists. She threw them into the air and cheered, "Awww YES!" She whirled around and pointed at the opposing team, hollering at the top of her lungs, "YOU'RE GOING DOWN!"

Down, they did not go.

Yes, you were on the team, but you didn't participate. Oddly enough, you felt as though if you did, it'd be unfair. The most you did was catch a weak toss here or there, then pawn the ball off to one of the kids, usually Nikki or Erid. The team lost more than it won, and the team was getting frustrated.

"Oh come on!" The teal haired girl whined as Neil was eliminated by a zinger unleashed by Space Kid. Yet another loss delivered on a silver platter.

"This is dumb." Max grumbled under his breath as he rubbed his swollen cheek. He lost focus at the wrong time, resulting in a pitch by Nerris smacking him square in the face. He turned his annoyance to you, gesturing with both arms as he huffed, "You're not even helping! What the fuck is that about?"

Neil rolled onto his side, burning a pained glare into your indifferent form. He struggled to hiss, "Yeah. You haven't done a thing to help us win."

The Troublesome Trio were on your ass. Erid and Harrison sauntered over, anticipating your answer so they could join in on grilling you. With five pairs of eyes studying your face, you refrained from rolling your eyes as you explained, "It wouldn't be fair if I went 10% on them. I won't win the games for you, but I'll nudge you in the right direction by catching the bad throws."

Your reply didn't satisfy the children. Judging by their scowls, it only served to irritate them further. "Yeah right!" Much to your surprise, Max stepped up, scoffing, "You're just scared they'll one up you and embarrass your ass."

A chorus of agreement from the other kids made you raise a brow. Arms crossed over your chest, you pursed your lips and shook your head. "Nice try," you said, fully aware of what he was trying to do, "but that tactic won't work on me, Max." His confident smirk fell into a frown. You glanced at the other team impatiently waiting for the next round to start before stating, "Whether I help or not, you guys won't win. Not with the way you just throw everything without rhyme or reason."

The curly haired scientist waved his noodle-like arms around as he narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?" Neil's question seemed to be one on their minds.

You raked a hand through your hair. Contemplating on if you'd elaborate on their mistakes didn't take long. Might as well give them a fighting chance. "Your approach is wrong." You started, licking your teeth before continuing, "It's a team game. You're not working together. Understand?" Their scrunched faces hinted they didn't, but that wasn't your concern. Nodding at Max and Neil, you commented, "Besides, it's just a game. I'm shocked you two actually want to participate, much less win."

"Believe it or not, I don't like having my face smacked." Max sharply retorted, pointing out his swollen features. "Is it wrong that I want a little revenge and stick it to those assholes?"

Peeking at the sky, you checked the time and shrugged. "Sounds like a you problem. I'm sure you'll figure something out." Stepping away from the team, you confiscated the balls and reset them in the middle as you loudly announced. "Last game before lunch. Go all out kiddos."

During the short period of time, the campers sparked their taunts to a new level. You listened to Nurf shout, "Hey! Losers have to hand their lunch over and eat Quartermaster's mystery meat loaf for dinner!"

"You mean that block of moldy stuff in the kitchen's fridge?" Harrison squeaked from the opposite end of the shoddily constructed court.

Nerris was quick to respond, "What else could he be talking about?"

"But it's been there since the beginning of summer!" Neil protested, flailing his arms around to emphasize his point.

The other team grinned at each other as Preston tacked on, "All the more reason to exercise our best efforts! The sooner we rid the fridge of that monstrosity, the sooner we will be graced with something actually edible."

Just the thought of being subjected to the object in the fridge sent a shockwave of disgust through the all the campers. Goosebumps erupted on your own skin when you recalled the state of the meatloaf, coated in a slimy film with patches of mold growing erratically on all sides. "Yeah." Lowering her head, Erid shot the pipsqueaks on her team knowing glares and chirped, "We're SO not losing this time."

Overhearing the exchange, you snickered in amusement, "Good luck with that."

"That means you too, Pam!" Space Kid yelled excitedly.

"You're on Team Loser, so you have to eat the Mystery Loaf too." Dolph exclaimed to a supporting team. You perked up after placing the last ball on the ground. The look of incredulity urged the youngest to add, "If you don't, Lola will do it for you."

That was all you needed to hear.

"Oh." Nodding with a strained grin, you determinedly chuffed, "It's on." You saw the others pale as you began to stretch your arms. Spinning on your heel, you motioned for your team to huddle up. They were more than eager to avoid having to be in the same vicinity of the rotten meatloaf. "Okay. Here's the plan: Max, you're the Medic. Stay near the back." The devious smile fell limp, but he didn't argue. "Neil, Harrison, you guys will be the distractions. Stay near the front and pull their attention away from Max." The two boys shot each other nervous glances, not too giddy to be the main targets of their ruthless opposition. "Erid, Nikki, you guys are with me. Stay near the middle and follow my lead."

With the main tasks delegated, you leaned into the circle of enthusiastic campers. Reducing your voice to the lowest possible whisper, you delved deeper on your plan of action. Injecting old schemes from back in the day were sure to work.

"This sounds a little overkill." Neil whimpered, raising a finger. Harrison chimed an agreement which was met with Nikki vehemently denying such a thing.

She drummed the tips of her fingers against each other, hunch over as she evilly cackled, "It's PERFECTION. We're going to make them eat their words!" She smacked a closed fist into her hand before she briefly paused. "And the meatloaf." She paused again. "And dirt. But mostly their words."

"Alright team, let's, like, freakin' do this!" Erid smiled crookedly while gently waving a fist.

The huddle disbanded. Harrison, Nikki, Max, Neil, and Erid followed your lead and lined up just outside the bounds marked by a badly smudged line. Upon seeing your team prepare for battle, the other team copied your movements and glared you down.

"Everyone good?" Stiff nods were the only reply you received. The tension was mounting. Nervous eyes flitted around the soon to be battlefield. No one wanted to eat that damn meatloaf. "Ready?" You yelled, causing everyone to crouch into a sprinter's stance. "GO!"

A mad dash to the line of projectiles was made by every camper.

Nikki easily outran them all, scurrying down the line and swatting the balls to your side before plucking one off the ground and sprinting back as the opponents neared. The balls rolled to a stop halfway to you. You, Erid, and Nikki each took one, allowing Neil and Harrison to grab one for themselves as a tool for deflection. Max hung back as instructed, scanning the field and using Erid's skateboard to smack any oncoming attacks from hitting him.

"Looky here Nerris!" Harrison taunted in a breathy pant. He scampered near the borderline, immediately earning the girl's attention. "I bet you can't hit me with your significantly weaker than mine magic!"

The girl growled angrily, her braces obstructing the sound to something scarier than she intended. She hurled the lumpy basketball with two hands as hard as she could. "I CAST ORB OF TOTAL ANNIHILATION!" It curved and screwed around, flying towards Harrison's legs. He squealed and jumped, kicking his legs out to ensure the ball didn't knock his balance from under him so early on.

Both were surprised by the end result. Harrison escaped unscathed.

Seeing he was still standing, he laughed and mocked, "You're puny spell was no match for my speed!"

Nerris, unamused by his insult, scowled and scooped up two footballs. A horrifying glare flashed in her glasses as she lowered her head. "You can't dodge forever." She lowly uttered, prepping the balls for launch. "Your luck stat isn't high enough to escape my BARRAGE OF SOUL MISSILES!"

On the other side, Nurf was already irked by his abysmal hit rate against Neil this round. With every throw, he grunted, "STOP. RUNNING. AND. LET. IT. HAPPEN." Neil scrambled and weaved under and around each misshapen ball. A yellowed volleyball skimmed his fluffy hair. Moments after, a foam baseball whizzed past his arm, grazing the short, invisible arm hair of his forearm.

Nurf had no clue he was digging a deeper hole for his team by throwing every ball on your side of the court, leaving Preston, Dolph, and Space Kid without a means to fight back. Easy pickings for Erid and Nikki as you eyed the other team's medic, Clementine. She skipped around, ready to drag anyone downed by a hit back to the starting line. Unapologetically, you pitched a ball and nailed Preston in the kneecap. He screamed and dramatically dropped onto his back, clutching his knee with one hand and using the other to press against his forehead. "I've suffered a cruel fate. Fight on, comrades! Until I'm revived, stay safe."

Given his location near the front lines, he wasn't going to be saved anytime soon. Erid and Nikki cheered as they managed to down Dolph and Space Kid afterward. Space Kid was the safest to revive, and the timing was perfect.

"Neil! Harrison!" You called out, pointing skyward and nodding.

They understood, backing up and meeting you in the center. With the abundance of balls at your disposal, you three took one in each hand. Nerris and Nurf grimaced, keeping their guard up and watching your trio's every move, completely disregarding Erid and Nikki sneakily creeping to opposite ends of the court. Clementine managed to swiftly bring back Space Kid and Dolph as the 'attack' commenced.

Instead of throwing a hailstorm of balls to be easily defended against, you, Neil, and Harrison threw one each straight up into the sky.

As predicted, Nurf, Dolph, Nerris, and Space Kid looked up, absentmindedly drifting forward to catch the balls as they gently floated down. The sun's light required them to concentrate in order to safely catch the balls.

With their attention occupied, you signaled for everyone to unload. Eerily in sync, you all skipped forward, cocked your arms back, and flung the balls you tightly clutched. Mere nanoseconds before their fates were sealed, Clementine snapped out of the distraction and yelled, "GUYS! IT'S A--"

She couldn't finish her sentence.

Her teammates were pelted by weathered projectiles, eliminating everyone but her as she luckily dove to the ground and avoided a soccer ball. It took them a moment to realize they were out, and angrily complied, slumping down onto their butts while grumbling complaints under their breath.

Too close to the danger line, the rest of her team was unreachable. Clementine was the last one standing, but not for long. Balls rolled back no matter how hard your companion tried keeping them on her side.

"ICALLDIBS!" Nikki howled as she scooped a football off the ground. Erid and Harrison followed suit, grabbing whatever they could get their hands on to get down final opponent before the teal haired wild child. Clementine did her best to dodge, but was ultimately defeated by grapefruit sized balloon stuffed with paper. The final blow didn't belong to any of the three.

"Oh would you look at that. You guys lost!" The other kids fearfully gawked at the taunting figure marching to the line. "I guess that means you have to eat the meatloaf."

It belonged to Max.

"You incapable baboons!" Preston desperately cried, "You've doomed us all!" The thespian gleam in his eyes as he turned to you clued you in to his repulsion. He wandered over to you and collapsed on you, hugging your legs as he slid down to the ground. "Please, please Pam, don't make us consume that foul slop of garbage!"

The others hopped on the bandwagon, scurrying up to you and begging you for mercy after setting themselves up for failure. How they managed to play themselves, you didn't want to know.

Waving them off, you sighed, "I wasn't going to let you eat it." They collectively heaved a breath of relief. As you watched their tense postures slacken, you smirked and added, "The whole thing anyway. I expect to see each of you eat a crumb." The declaration was met with whimpers, protests, and gasps. You remained steadfast, shaking your head as you said, "You guys definitely have to pay up for making a bet."

"We never shook on it!" Dolph matter-of-factly pointed out.

"I can change the crumbs to slices if you want."

"Crumbs are fine!" Was all you heard before the kids made a break for the Mess Hall. The Quartermaster occupied the building for the hour as he finished cooking, so you weren't in a hurry to catch up.

No, you were too busy giggling at the ridiculous antics of the children. The giggle turned to a lengthy laugh as you slowly began walking over.

Then you recalled Scotty still needed to be rounded up.

Your laughter petered out to a tired sigh. Changing direction, you barely took a step when you heard footfall approaching from behind. Just a peek over your shoulder revealed the familiar insignia of Clementine's hat. You relaxed, quietly humming, "What's up?"

She peered up at you. "Where are you going?"

"Just gonna go grab Scotty for lunch and before we do anything else." You answered, swiping away the beads of sweat that formed during the intense, but short match.

"I'll go with--"

"Don't worry about it, Lola." Both of you locked up, stiffening as you whirled around to face the game ending boy himself. He wore a wily smirk and a prying stare. He reached up and placed a hand on her shoulder, patting it softly as he reassured her, "I'll keep your mom company while we get Scotty. You go with the others."

Clementine shot you a concerned frown, immediate reluctance and displeasure evident in her eyes. Max's sinister tone wasn't hidden as well as he thought it was, or he simply didn't care. The devilish glint in his amused grin only fueled both of your suspicions. Still, you didn't want Clementine to deal with Max's antics, so your hands were tied. Hoping to relieve her worries, you calmly nodded and flicked the bill of her cap.

"Go on." The headwear dislodged and nearly flopped off, but her hands shot up to catch it and put it back in place. Her honey colored eyes bore into your own (e/c) ones. "Max's 'random acts of kindness' are few and far between, so I gotta see what's up."

The girl furrowed her brows, glancing between you and Max with bitten back opinions. After a minute of solid contemplation, she merely nodded and headed on the dirt path leading to the Mess Hall.

You watched her saunter along for a bit before turning back to Max. He seemed relaxed, unbothered, even enjoying himself which was rare on its own. The boy was only truly happy when he tormented the gullible David or played on Gwen's crippling anxiety. Misery loves company, and nothing rings truer to the sourpuss named Max.

Silence reigned over the two of you as you both stalked down the dirt walkway leading to the circle of camper's tents. The mounting tension was palpable as you neared.

You took a deep breath and broke the ice, curtly. "Alright, spill it Max. What do you want?"

The short kid tilted his head to curiously stare up at you. "Straight to the point as always, huh Pam?" The slightest of smiles dawned on his lips. It peeled into a crooked smirk. His hands slipped into his hoodie's pocket, rummaging around as he casually said, "I like that about you." His small hand pulled out of the pocket, flashing a very familiar piece of crumpled paper. "You know, you should really stop leaving these out in the open for me to steal. It's kinda pathetic with how easy it is."

This damn kid was going to be the death of you.

Gulping, you forced yourself to look away and nonchalantly state, "You're right. We should invest in a lock for the cabin." You doubted it would work due to the shed needing so many extra precautions, but perhaps the threat disguised your desperation well enough. "That was meant for David."

Max ignored most of what spilled from your mouth, making a show of examining the note as he said, "You got sick huh? Is that why we couldn't find you all day?"

"That's what happens when you're sick." You slickly commented. "You stay away from everyone so you don't get them sick too."

"Yet here you are."

"Touché."

He nodded as he crumpled the paper back into a compact ball, stuffing it safely into his pocket so you couldn't confiscate it. "So, correct me if I'm wrong, but you magically disappeared all day then reappeared out of the blue."

"Yup." No point in lying.....yet.

"Would it be far fetched to guess you weren't actually sick?" He asked, kicking a rock down the road and watching it bounce in elongated arcs. He caught a glimpse of your stone cold expression, chuckling, "Right on the money, then." He lifted his head and stared at the sky. "Were you visiting someone who WAS sick? Is he blonde? Conniving? Dying from poison?"

Now he apparently got kicks out of interrogating you.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. And no."

"AHA!" He cut his triumphant laugh short. "So you are in cahoots with Daniel! Ooh, wait until David sees--"

Shooting Max a bored frown, you replied, "I already know where you're going with this. I told David everything." Lie. "He knows I went to see Daniel." Another lie. "Since you stole the note, there wasn't a conflicting story, so you really helped me out, if anything."

"Wait, what??" Max froze at least he mouth of the circle's entrance, observing your soft step.

"Of course he knows. He made Gwen and I come clean about everything. The money, my past with Daniel, where Gwen was, seeing Daniel again." You smoothly explained, readjusting your uniform shirt. "David was fine with it, surprisingly. But he made me promise to be careful if I kept going to see him. He couldn't properly reprimand me for leaving without notice since he wanted to help Gwen, so I'm sure I'm in for it when he gets back."

You crouched down in front of the tent, tapped on the cloth, and waited for the repeatedly forgotten camper to emerge. During your short time spent waiting, you glanced over at the bothersome troublemaker and had to bite back a barking laugh.

'Cat got your tongue, Max?' You thought when you saw his mouth hanging wide open. You couldn't salvage the shock for long. Through the crack of the opening, a large afro of pale orange hair popped out. Meek and pale, Scotty peered around as he searched for trouble.

Upon spotting Max, the boy flinched and crawled back into his safe space. "It's okay, Scotty." You softly cooed, hoping to coax him out of the tent he spent hours cooped up in. "It's time for lunch, then we're going to play some games." A short quietness passed before a sad, drawn out honk wheezed out of the flaps. You chewed the inside of your cheek, muttering, "I'm sorry for forgetting about you Scotty. It's embarrassing how often it happens. There's no reason we do. Would having a whole day dedicated to Visual Comedy make it up to you?" In response, a more confident honk squeaked out. "And a movie night with the Three Stooges. Does that sound good to you?"

"There's no point." Max dryly huffed, arms crossed over his chest. He turned his head away as he gathered more questions to pose to you. "He never talks to anyone--"

Faint rustling startled Max. Scotty's reemergence sewed Max's mouth shut with utter disbelief. The oddly silent boy crawled to his feet, sitting on his knees as he stared at you. "C'mon." You encouraged, holding a hand out to help him stand.

Max reeled back when Scotty accepted your extended appendage.

Returning to your full height, you started walking back, passing Max with Scotty in tow. "You're gonna miss lunch if you stand there all day." That seemed to snap the jaded youngin out of his daze. He jogged to catch up only for you to tease, "I had no clue you liked stuffed animals, much less be sentimental about them."

"What do you mean?"

You waved your hand in a circle. "That raggedy teddy bear must mean a lot to you if you keep it around considering the shape it's in. And sent Gwen to find it or you'd ruin her life."

Max's shoulders stiffened. "It gets cold at night. And the shitty blanket we get isn't enough to keep warm!"

"And cuddling with an old teddy bear helps how?" A series of humorous honks prompted you to smirk at Scotty. He was grinning as well, so you kept it going. "Just admit you've got a soft side beneath that harsh exterior. You know, a classic heart of gold!"

Growling, Max sharply turned to you and barked, "SHUT UP. I DON'T HAVE A SOFT SIDE." Your skeptical brow quirk irked him further. "I don't know how you managed to make this about me, but I won't stand for it!" He pointed a shaky index finger at you as he declared, "Something is definitely up with you. I'll get to the bottom of it, I swear. And when I find out, David will have no choice but fire you."

"Where is this coming from?"

"YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH A PSYCHOPATHIC CULTIST FUCKFACE MURDERER!" He screeched at the top of his lungs. His hands were balled into fists. They quivered from the amount of pressure he dug into his own palms. "YOU THINK IT'S STRANGE FOR ME TO BE ON EDGE?"

His outburst earned a genuine flinch from you. Gaze falling to your strides, you said, "I.....didn't think you were THAT shaken up from it."

"WELL I AM."

It wasn't often you witnessed Max seething. His pent up emotions bubbled to the surface and violently exploded. Your lips pressed into a thin line. "Look, I'm being completely honest when I say I'm not plotting to kill you with Daniel. We talked-" a stark scoff derailed you momentarily, "and I got him to back off. He shouldn't be a threat to us anymore. So if he crosses me for some reason, we'll be fine."

"So the cops didn't arrest him?"

The question stumped you. Not because you didn't want to tell the truth, but saying it aloud garnered suspicion in your own mind. "No." You eventually muttered, "They didn't."

Max's eyes widened. "So there really is just a child killing asshole on the loose!?"

"He'll be in the hospital for a while." Catching a glimpse of Max revealed that the particular piece of information didn't calm his nerves. 'Should I really say...' You shook your head. Perhaps it would work in your favor. You wouldn't know unless you tried. "Max, would you relax a bit if I kept tabs on him?"

He swallowed loudly, as if his next words twisted his innards so painfully he regretted saying them before they left his mouth. "Only if David goes with you."

Your body reacted before you did. Your steps ground to an abrupt halt. Scotty almost flopped on his back from your sudden stop. The blur of motion earned Max's annoyed glare which you quickly spoke on, "You want me....to take David.....to see Daniel?" Max's lips curled into a scowl. "They REALLY don't like each other." Then it changed to a smirk. "I have...questions. Like since when did you trust him? Why don't you want to go?"

"One, I don't trust him, but it's good that they don't get along. You won't be there long enough to plan anything then." He raised his fingers, counting of the reasons. "Two, I'm not keen on coming face to face with my almost murderer."

There was nothing to argue. Nodding, you conceded before continuing to walk, "Fair enough." A short lull of silence formed. The Mess Hall enlarged as the three of you. Passing the flagpole, your thoughts were accidentally murmured aloud. "I'm a little confused as to why the police haven't jailed him, but it's probably because we've had so many calls there over the summer."

"The cops are pretty incompetent when it comes to a lot of shit." Max offhandedly remarked, looking the most lax you've seen him during the walk.

Again, your thoughts projected themselves out past your clenched jaw before you could stop them. "I have had my fair share of run-ins with the authorities." It tapered off to a mumble, but the damage was done.

Pausing in front of the entrance, Max furrowed his brows and hissed, "....Are you serious? Does David know?"

"Clearly not." Max jerked back, causing you to huff, "And it's not like he'd care. He idolizes Campbell the conman and hired Daniel for fuck's sake." This time, Scotty joined in on gawking worriedly at you. A slap echoed out as your hand slid down your face, dragging your features downward. "Oh cut it out. Both of you. It wasn't anything serious."

The mischievous brat squinted at you. "Oh really? Then what was it?"

"A parking ticket." His expression never faltered. You scoffed, "Disappointed?"

He seemed to scan your visage, studying your straight face for any trace of dishonesty. Upon finding none, he backed off and looked away. "I forget that you're old and boring sometimes." He spun on his heel and shoved the doors open, glancing over his shoulder and motioning for the quiet kid to follow. "C'mon Scotty. We're gonna watch these losers eat moldy meatloaf."

Scotty trailed after Max, a confused honk filling the air as they approached the table the kids huddled around. The latter pushed apart the crowd and hopped onto the bench while the former stood at the back.

You watched from afar as they chipped off pieces of the solid hunk of refrigerated mush. Something in the back of your mind whispered 'Stop them'. The striking resemblance it had to David's voice summoned shivers along the curve of your spine. It spurred you to step in their direction.

'Let them.'

Your own voice mumbled inwardly at the same time as another familiar voice crooned. Daniel. Short lived inner turmoil boiled inside. Eyes fluttering shut, you fought the warmth rising to your cheeks and shook your head. Both were an annoyance you wished you didn't have to deal with. The shoulder devil and angel, so to speak. You hoped it wouldn't be a reoccurring event.

Ultimately, you decided to refrain from intervening, but preparing for the worst case scenario: upset stomachs and bubble guts. The scrutiny twinkling in Quartermaster's glare went unnoticed and uncared for. With one trip to the kitchen, you brought the trash can in case things got really messy.

Their reactions were expected. They stalled for as much time as they could. But their fellow camp mates held them to their promises. Nurf was the first to nibble on the bite sized crumb between his thumb and index finger. He smacked his lips, tongue flicking out as his brows furrowed during his attempt to place a taste. He didn't last long. The boy whirled around and spewed the soggy remnants of the crumb out. He continued to spit into the trash can while Nerris, Preston, and Space Kid put their taste buds through the ringer.

Preston and Nerris cracked instantly. They joined Nurf at the trash can, hacking and coughing the unbearable taste out of their mouths. Tears pooled in their eyes and streamed down their cheeks as the pawed at their tongues. They drew the attention away from the stinky meatloaf with their theatrics.

Space Kid was the exception.

He savored the crumb, swallowing it down when the others were preoccupied with Preston, Nurf, and Nerris. His eyes were glued to the loaf. He even reached out for another piece, but you stopped him short of doing so.

"Aw, but Pam!" He whined, waddling after you as you snatched the cold platter off the table and headed for the trash can. "Please lemme get another piece!"

"That's a negative." Was all you stated before dumping the block of mold into the garbage. Space Kid's shrill cry would have pierced everyone's eardrums had he not been wearing his helmet. The muffled shriek of anguish reverberated, but you spoke over it. "Meet me back at the Activity Field in fifteen!"

Ample time to recover from the bet, you hoped. Spending the time cleaning up the havoc the games ticked by quick. You visited the shed to chuck the bag of balls inside, but instinct told you to keep them on standby. You searched for the rucksack of battered waist flags, finding it near the back where you found the safe. Inanimate object or not, you loathed the thing and partially regretted on ever laying eyes on it.

Returning to the field, you found the campers shambling around as they waited for you. The crunching dirt alerted them to your arrival.

"Finally." One of them muttered as they all grouped around you.

Nikki bounced in place, ecstatic to participate in the next activity. "What's next? Is it hunting? Can we go hunting?"

"Nope." The girl visibly deflated. You ignored the energy change and said, "Since there's absolutely no way I can get through the 'Heart Attack Prevention and Solution' unit by myself, we're just going to play some games until David and Gwen get back."

"It's a little more physical than I like, but it's relatively normal compared to what happens." Neil sighed with relief, Preston and Harrison muttering their agreements.

Dolph tugged on the sack you hoisted over your shoulder, reminding you to set it down. The battle worn flags spilled out from the top. The young boy grabbed a red coated flag band then a blue and asked, "What are we doing with these?"

"Flag Wars." The two words relit the excited flame in Nikki's eyes.

After a lengthy deliberation, the campers chose to switch up the teams. The Reds consisted of Max, Nerris, Preston, and Nurf. The Blues were Nikki, Scotty, Erid, and Harrison. The Greens were Neil, Clem, Dolph, and Space Kid. A three way war built of equal teams allowed you to sit back and watch the show.

Thankfully, they knew the rules and required no explanation. They swiftly engaged in multiple rounds. The kids took care of themselves if one knew how to set it up. All it took was a nudge in the right direction if they happened to veer off course.

The blazing sun kept them sweating, but the refreshing breeze kept them going. A water break here and there sustained the game into the later hours of the afternoon, each team refusing to back down despite their energy running low. Somehow, all three teams managed to tie up their win counts. And - amongst themselves - the campers chose to settle it a different way.

"Pam!"

Your peaceful relaxation period expired.

"Pam, we need your help!"

You stayed seated in the tuft of lush grass as the kids jogged up to you. Dirt caked their skin in random patches. Redness from irritation of the constant colliding lit their skin as well. You raised a brow, observing their flushed, exhausted faces. "Hmm?"

"It's a three way tie." Nikki panted. "We need to break it and have a champion team!"

Confusion set in. "Why not just play one last round?" The honest inquiry earned burning glares.

Erid stepped forward, wiping the sweat forming on her forehead. "Because we wanna switch things up for the finale, duh."

"Where are we going with this?"

Dolph trotted over with a flag band in his small grasp. The three yellow flag prongs dangled and flapped as a soft breeze swept them up. "We want you to be the deciding match point!" The youngest chirped, kind tone already persuading you to agree to whatever he and the others had in mind.

You still found yourself blurbing, "What?"

"Eh, we put it up for a vote." Neil flicked the grass blades clinging to his sweater. "Everyone wanted to involve you for a bit before dinner."

"You mean antagonize?"

"Nonsense!" Nikki sung as she snagged the flag out of Dolph hands, scampering around you and clipping the plastic clasp behind your back. "You'll love this!" She planted her hands on her hips and grinned madly, "And we will too. Right, Lola?~" You knew it was a mistake to look at the aforementioned girl. The guilt on her face was evident the moment she shied away when you glanced at her. "She's the one who suggested it."

The authority to stop the antics before they started was in your hands. "I'll play along." But you didn't want to.

"Good!" Nikki hopped around her fellow campers. "First one to grab Pam's flag wins." She turned back to you, fingers wiggling as she growl whispered, "You get a five second head start. Not that it'll help you any. And you can't just throw it to Lola!"

Rising to your feet, you dusted yourself off and started walking aimlessly in a random direction. You heard them scatter back to their teammates, so when their backs turned, you made a break for the forest and hid among the shrubbery. Creeping along the tree line, you took care to not step on any foliage that would give you way.

Orange light slipped through the treetops. You would have admired the view in a rare moment of serenity, but it sorely reminded you of the ticking time. The sun's light was fading quick. Fortunately, the game would end quicker than you anticipated.

"I think you've got this in the bag, Gwen!"

Maybe sooner than that.

"He seemed impressed, but-" "No buts! Think positively!" David's voice sternly chided. "As long as you were confident and honest, there's no way you won't get a call back!" Judging from the proximity of their voices, you guessed they were extremely close by. "Besides, even if he doesn't contact you, there'll be plenty of opportunities for you to impress another potential employer!"

"Yeah." Gwen's tone lightened significantly. "Yeah, definitely! If that shithead doesn't hire me, then I'll get picked up somewhere else!"

"That's the spirit!" David cheered. "But maybe watch the swea-AAAAAAAHHH!"

You poked your head out of the bush, eyes landing on the two slender figures of your coworkers. "You two are back." It came out more calmly than you meant it to, almost detached and indifferent.

David was still reeling from the surprise while Gwen regained her composure swiftly. "Pam, why are you hiding in there?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her foot tapped against the grass. "Were you trying to scare us? Cause it kinda worked. At least, it completely worked on David."

The red head mentioned perked up, a hand massaging his chest as he weakly laughed, "Haha.....good one Pam. I'm just easily startled."

As you exited the brush to a cacophony of rustling and snapping, Gwen scrunched her nose. Her gaze lowered to your waist. "What's with that?" A lackadaisical gesture focused yours and David's attention to the loosely hanging flag belt.

David's face twisted with uncertainty. "Wait! If you're here, then where are the campers?"

"We're playing a game." You stated simply.

"I SEE HER!"

An explosion of noise erupted in the distance. The three of you whipped around to find a herd of children stampeding over the horizon. Nikki led the charge, Clem and Nurf hot on her tail. Neil and Harrison gained on them, yet were thwarted by Nurf shoving them back, shouting loudly, "OUTTA THE WAY NERDS!"

You started to move, but froze when something tugged at your waist. The nonexistent weight removed itself from your hips. "Scotty??" The clown-like kid peered up at you, grasping the yellow flag in a tight fist. His perpetual silence didn't stop you from questioning, "How long have you been there?"

"WOOHOOOOOO!" Nikki screeched as she reached you, Scotty, Gwen and David. A labored grunt escaped her clenched teeth, but the teal haired girl managed to hoist Scotty off the ground and carry him to the other arriving kids. They helped her lift him as they shouted their praised.

"VICTORY TO THE BLUES!"

"We're the best!"

"Awesome job Scotty."

Grumbles of disappointment lingered in the group. Before they got the chance to punish Scotty for winning the game, David cleared his throat and said, "Well, I'm sure you campers had a busy day with Pam! Let's call it a day." He waved the children off, slowly sauntering after them. "Dinner, then straight to bed!"

"Coward." Gwen mumbled under her breath as she stood beside you, darkly eyeing David as he vanished into the Mess Hall.

Head tilted, you asked, "What for?"

"We were going to break it to you together right when we got here, but he high tailed it." She shook her head and fixed her gaze on you. "I have interviews the rest of the week, and he wants to see them through. That means you have to look after these little snot nosed bastards by yourself for a few days."

Your blood pressure rose, then fell.

Veins grew hot, then cold.

"Oh...." Was all you could muster.

Coward. He was a coward indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I'm working on this. Thanks for being patient with me.

**Author's Note:**

> This one is for you Line Fam. 
> 
> *Kisses fist and points at phone*


End file.
